Background information
P Glycoprotein, the product of the MDR1 gene, is expressed in distinct non-malignant cells, typically cells with secretory and excretory functions. It is assumed to function as an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump with broad substrate specificity. The highest expression of P Glycoprotein has been observed in kidney (proximal tubules), liver (bile canaliculi), adrenal gland and intestine, suggesting that the primary role of P Glycoprotein is in the normal secretion of physiological metabolites and ingested chemicals into bile, urine and the lumen of the intestinal tract. Elevated levels of P Glycoprotein have also been reported in multidrug-resistant cell lines and in colon, endometrial, ovarian, and breast tumors, as well as in sarcomas and leukemias / lymphomas.
