Rat liver cells express the multispecific organic anion transporter (cmoat, cmrp, mrp2) and P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in their canalicular membranes, proteins that are homologous to the multidrug-resistance related protein (MRP) and multidrug resistance (MDR) gene products in multidrug resistant tumor cells. We tested whether genistein, a modulator of drug resistance in tumor cells, affects biliary secretion of substrates of canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cmoat) (glucuronides of bilirubin and rhodamine, glutathione conjugate of bromsulphthalein) and of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) (rhodamine), respectively. Using the isolated perfused rat liver of control Wistar rats (TR+) and of a mutant strain (TR-) that expresses Pgp but not cmoat, we show that genistein effectively inhibits the secretion of anionic substrates of cmoat in Wistar rats but stimulates secretion of cationic rhodamine in TR- rats. Genistein is subject to glucuronidation and sulfatation and secretion of genistein and its metabolites stimulates bile flow in Wistar rats, but secretion is nearly absent in TR- rats. Because genistein and its metabolites are substrates for cmoat, inhibition of anion secretion by genistein is partially explained by competition for this transporter. Genistein is also a substrate of uridindiphosphate (UDP)-glucuronyltransferase isoenzyme(s). Inhibition of glucuronidation reduces the availability of bilirubin and rhodamine glucuronates for transport via cmoat, but unconjugated cationic rhodamine becomes available for transport via Pgp at an increased cellular concentration. Daidzein, a genistein analogue with no effect on protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) shows Similar effects on secretion of organic anions and cations supporting the conclusion that genistein affects transport in liver mainly through competition with other substrates at the sites of glucuronidation and transport via cmoat.

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Benzamide riboside (BR) is a novel anticancer agent exhibiting pronounced activity against several human tumor cell lines via the inhibition of inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) that catalyzes the formation of xanthine 5'-monophosphate from inosine 5'-monophosphate and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, thereby restricting the biosynthesis of guanylates. Phosphorylation of BR to its 5'-monophosphate derivative appears to be ubiquitous in most cells catalyzed by the enzymes, adenosine kinase, nicotinamide nucleoside kinase and 5' nucleotidase. BR 5'-monophosphate is then converted to the active metabolite benzamide adenine dinucleotide (BAD) by NMN adenylyltransferase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of NAD. As BAD is more potent in the inhibition of IMPDH than BR and BR 5'-monophosphate, cytotoxicity of BR is closely connected with intercellular metabolism to BAD. However, intracellular BAD level is also affected by BADase activity, a phosphodiesterase which hydrolyzes BAD to BR-5'-monophosphate and AMP. A recent study demonstrates enzymatic deamination of BR to non-cytotoxic benzene carboxylic acid (BR-COOH) as the main hepatic BR biotransformation product in rat liver. As the IMPDH inhibitors tiazofurin and ribavirin exhibit predominant accumulation and biotransformation in liver, hepatic metabolism may be an important factor also for BR activation and inactivation and should be considered in human liver during cancer therapy when BR is used as a single drug or in combination with other anticancer agents.

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