Kanako Wakabayashi

Re-evaluation and functional classification of non- synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms of the human ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG2

Impacts of genetic polymorphisms of the ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter BCRP/MXR1/ABCP (ABCG2) on drug response have been implicated; however, the hitherto reported data involve some inconsistencies. To re‐evaluate the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of ABCG2 in vitro, we created a total of seven variant cDNAs (V12M, Q141K, F208S, S248P, F431L, S441N and F489L) by site‐directed mutagenesis and stably expressed each of them in Flp‐In‐293 cells using the Flp recombinase system. Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization mapping analysis revealed that one single copy of ABCG2 cDNA was incorporated into the telomeric region of chromosome 12p. It was proven that mRNAs of those integrated ABCG2 variants were expressed evenly in Flp‐In‐293 cells. However, the protein expression levels varied among those variants. In particular, expression of the F208S and S441N variants was markedly low, suggesting the instability of these variant proteins. Drug resistance profiles of Flp‐In‐293 cells expressing two major SNP variants (V12M and Q141K) toward the drug SN‐38 demonstrated that the IC50 value (drug concentrations producing a 50% reduction of cell growth) for Q141K was approximately 50% of that for wild type. The contributions of the minor SNP variants (F208S, S248P, F431L, S441N and F489L) to drug resistance toward SN‐38, mitoxantrone, doxorubicin, daunorubicin or etoposide were significantly lower than wild type. Based on our functional validation, the above‐mentioned non‐synonymous polymorphisms as well as acquired mutants (R482G and R482T) of ABCG2 were classified into four groups. Furthermore, new camptothecin analogs synthesized by our research group had potent effects in circumventing ABCG2‐mediated drug resistance without any influence from major non‐synonymous polymorphisms. (Cancer Sci 2007; 98: 231–239)

Major SNP (Q141K) Variant of Human ABC Transporter ABCG2 Undergoes Lysosomal and Proteasomal Degradations

PurposeSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCG2 gene have been suggested to be a significant factor in patients’ responses to medication and/or the risk of diseases. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the major non-synonymous SNP Q141K on lysosomal and proteasomal degradations.MethodsABCG2 WT and the Q141K variant were expressed in Flp-In-293 cells by using the Flp recombinase system. Their expression levels and cellular localization was measured by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence microscopy, respectively.ResultsThe protein level of the Q141K variant expressed in Flp-In-293 cells was about half that of ABCG2 WT, while their mRNA levels were equal. The protein expression level of the Q141K variant increased about two-fold when Flp-In-293 cells were treated with MG132. In contrast, the protein level of ABCG2 WT was little affected by the same treatment. After treatment with bafilomycin A1, the protein levels of ABCG2 WT and Q141K increased 5- and 2-fold in Flp-In-293 cells, respectively.ConclusionsThe results strongly suggest that the major non-synonymous SNP Q141K affects the stability of the ABCG2 protein in the endoplasmic reticulum and enhances its susceptibility to ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation.

Intramolecular Disulfide Bond Is a Critical Check Point Determining Degradative Fates of ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) Transporter ABCG2 Protein

Human ABCG2 belongs to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family and plays an important role in various biological reactions, such as xenobiotic elimination and homeostasis of protoporphyrin. We previously reported that ABCG2 exists in the plasma membrane as a homodimer bound via a disulfide bond at Cys-603. In the present study, we examined the importance of an intramolecular disulfide bond for stability of the ABCG2 protein. Substitution of either Cys-592 or Cys-608 located in the extracellular loop to glycine resulted in a significant decrease in protein levels of ABCG2 when expressed in Flp-In-293 cells. Interestingly, the protein levels of those ABCG2 variants were remarkably enhanced by treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Concomitantly, increases in ubiquitinated forms of those variant proteins were detected by immunoprecipitation. In contrast, neither the protein level nor the ubiquitinated state of the ABCG2 wild-type (WT) was affected by MG132 treatment. Ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation is suggested to be involved in degradation of misfolded ABCG2 proteins lacking the intramolecular disulfide bond. On the other hand, the protein level of ABCG2 WT increased more than 4-fold when cells were treated with bafilomycin A1, which inhibits lysosomal degradation, whereas the C592G or C608G variant was little affected by the same treatment. These results strongly suggest that two distinct pathways exist for protein degradation of ABCG2 WT and mutants lacking the intramolecular disulfide bond. Namely, the WT ABCG2 is degraded in lysosomes, and the misfolded ABCG2 lacking intramolecular disulfide bond undergoes ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation in proteasomes.

HUMAN ABC TRANSPORTER ABCG2 IN XENOBIOTIC PROTECTION AND REDOX BIOLOGY

Human ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCG2 (BCRP/MXR/ABCP) is regarded as a member of the phase III system of xenobiotic metabolism. This efflux pump is suggested to be responsible for protecting the body from toxic xenobiotics and for removing toxic metabolites. The aim of this review article is to address new aspects of ABCG2 related to redox biology, namely the posttranslational modification (intra- and intermolecular disulfide bond formation) of ABCG2 protein and the transport of porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolites, as well as the high-speed screening and QSAR analysis method to evaluate ABCG2–drug interactions.

Ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation of non-synonymous SNP variants of human ABC transporter ABCG2.

Clinical relevance is implicated between the genetic polymorphisms of the ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter ABCG2 (ABC subfamily G, member 2) and the individual differences in drug response. We expressed a total of seven non-synonymous SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) variants in Flp-In-293 cells by using the Flp (flippase) recombinase system. Of these, ABCG2 F208S and S441N variants were found to be expressed at markedly low levels, whereas their mRNA levels were equal to those of the other SNP variants and ABCG2 WT (wild-type). Interestingly, protein expression levels of the ABCG2 F208S and S441N variants increased 6- to 12-fold when Flp-In-293 cells were treated with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. Immunoprecipitation followed by immunoblot analysis showed that the ABCG2 F208S and S441N variant proteins were endogenously ubiquitinated in Flp-In-293 cells, and treatment with MG132 significantly enhanced the level of these ubiquitinated variants. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that MG132 greatly affected the ABCG2 F208S and S441N variants in terms of both protein levels and intracellular distribution. Immunoblot analysis revealed that those variants were N-glycosylated; however, their oligosaccharides were immature compared with those present on ABCG2 WT. The ABCG2 F208S and S441N variant proteins do not appear to be processed in the Golgi apparatus, but undergo ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation in proteasomes, whereas ABCG2 WT is sorted to the plasma membrane and then degraded via the lysosomal pathway. The present study provides the first evidence that certain genetic polymorphisms can affect the protein stability of ABCG2. Control of proteasomal degradation of ABCG2 would provide a novel approach in cancer chemotherapy to circumvent multidrug resistance of human cancers.

Pharmacogenomics of the human ABC transporter ABCG2: from functional evaluation to drug molecular design

In the post-genome-sequencing era, emerging genomic technologies are shifting the paradigm for drug discovery and development. Nevertheless, drug discovery and development still remain high-risk and high-stakes ventures with long and costly timelines. Indeed, the attrition of drug candidates in preclinical and development stages is a major problem in drug design. For at least 30% of the candidates, this attrition is due to poor pharmacokinetics and toxicity. Thus, pharmaceutical companies have begun to seriously re-evaluate their current strategies of drug discovery and development. In that light, we propose that a transport mechanism-based design might help to create new, pharmacokinetically advantageous drugs, and as such should be considered an important component of drug design strategy. Performing enzyme- and/or cell-based drug transporter, interaction tests may greatly facilitate drug development and allow the prediction of drug–drug interactions. We recently developed methods for high-speed functional screening and quantitative structure–activity relationship analysis to study the substrate specificity of ABC transporters and to evaluate the effect of genetic polymorphisms on their function. These methods would provide a practical tool to screen synthetic and natural compounds, and these data can be applied to the molecular design of new drugs. In this review article, we present an overview on the genetic polymorphisms of human ABC transporter ABCG2 and new camptothecin analogues that can circumvent AGCG2-associated multidrug resistance of cancer.

Human ABC transporters ABCG2 (BCRP) and ABCG4

1. The human ABC transporter ABCG2 is regarded as a member of the phase III system for xenobiotic metabolism, and it has been suggested that this efflux pump is responsible for protecting the body from toxic xenobiotics and for removing metabolites. 2. This review paper will address the new aspects of ABCG2 in terms of post-translational modifications (i.e., disulfide bond formation, ubiquitination, and endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation) of ABCG2 protein, high-speed screening, and quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) analysis to evaluate ABCG2–drug interactions, and genetic polymorphisms potentially associated with photosensitivity. 3. In addition, new aspects of human ABCG4 and mouse Abcg4 are presented with respect to their molecular properties and potential physiological roles. Considering a high sequence similarity between ABCG1 and ABCG4, both Abcg4 and ABCG4 may be involved in the transport of cholesterol from neurons and astrocytes. Furthermore, high expression of the mouse Abcg4 protein in the testis implicates its involvement in transport of certain sex hormones.