B5H7, a Morpholine Derivative of 23-Hydroxybetulinic Acid, Reverses Doxorubicin Resistance in HepG2/ADM
Pages 59-66
Nan Yao, Dao-Lu Liu, Ying-Jie Li, Zhe-Sheng Chen, Zhi Shi, Wei-Min Chen, Zhe Yao, Dong-Mei Zhang and Wen-Cai Ye

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-2279.2014.03.01.6

Published: 31 January 2014

Abstract: Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the major cause of the failure of cancer chemotherapy. Development of MDR reversers is an important strategy to improve the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy. Here, we have found a morpholine derivative of 23-hydroxybetulinic acid, B5H7, with a reversal effect on MDR cancer cells. Our studies showed that B5H7 enhanced cytotoxicity of doxorubicin, but no cisplatin in MDR cancer cells HepG2/ADM. And we found that B5H7 not only increased the intracellular accumulation of P-glycoprotein substrates doxorubicin and rhodamine123, but also reduced the efflux of rhodamine123 in HepG2/ADM cells. Further studies showed B5H7 did not alter the protein level of P-glycoprotein and it also had no effect on P-glycoprotein ATPase activity. Taken together, we have found that B5H7 could reverse doxorubicin resistance in HepG2/ADM cells by inhibiting the transport function of P-glycoprotein. These findings contribute to developing B5H7 as an adjuvant to anticancer chemotherapy with doxorubicin.