Effect of phenoxazine MDR modulators on photoaffinity labeling of P-glycoprotein by [3H] azidopine: an approach to understand drug resistance in cancer chemotherapy

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) rich membrane fractions from KB-VI cells were isolated and the interaction of [3H] azidopine with membrane fractions in the presence of 25, 50 and 100 μM concentration of each of the twenty N10 -substituted phenoxazines, was under taken and the extent of competition was compared to a standard modulator, verapamil. Competition data showed that only two modulators 4 and 6 exhibited the maximum competition (>50%). Among the compounds examined, three of them interact strongly (>50%), six marginally (<45%) and remaining failed to interact with P-gp, indicating that there may be multiple mechanisms for MDR. (author)