Tomato lectin labels the 180 kD glycoform of P-glycoprotein in rat brain capillary endothelia and mdr tumor cells.

Two main isoforms of P-glycoproteins can be distinguished according to their solubility in ionic and non-ionic detergents. Studies on mdr cell lines and brain capillary vessels support the evidence that tomato lectin reveals high affinity binding to the oligosaccharide chains of the SDS soluble isoform of P-glycoprotein, but not to the non-ionic detergent soluble isoform. Thus the SDS-soluble isoform represents a glycoform having polylactosamines in its oligosaccharide chains. The function of these oligosaccharides is still unknown, although the carbohydrate chains of P-glycoprotein were believed to take part in correct protein folding only. We also demonstrated that lectin binding to the extracellular lactosamine sequences of drug efflux pump does not change its efficiency on mdr cell lines, but interferes with the inhibitory action of some drugs, such as verapamil and promethazine. In accordance with earlier findings we assume that carbohydrate chains might be involved in stabilization of the active conformation of efflux pump. The possible role of lectin treatment in maintaining P-glycoprotein mediated blood-brain barrier functions has to be proved in further investigations.