The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily is one of the largest membrane protein families existing in wide spectrum of organisms from prokaryotes to human. ABC transporters are also known as efflux pumps because they mediate the cross-membrane transportation of various endo-and xenobiotic molecules energized by ATP hydrolysis. Therefore, ABC transporters have been considered closely to multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer, where the efflux of structurally distinct chemotherapeutic drugs causes reduced itherapeutic efficacy. Besides, ABC transporters also play other critical biological roles in cancer such as signal transduction. During the past decades, extensive efforts have been made in understanding the structure-function relationship, transportation profile of ABC transporters, as well as the possibility to overcome MDR via targeting these transporters. In this review, we discuss the most recent knowledge regarding ABC transporters and cancer drug resistance in order to provide insights for the development of more effective therapies.
INTRODUCTIONSince the first discovery of the membrane transport protein Pglycoprotein (P-gp) or ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter B1 (ABCB1) in resistant cancer cells in the mid-1970s, more and more members in ABC transporter superfamily such as ABCG2 (breast cancer resistance protein, BCRP) and MRPs (multidrug resistance proteins) were discovered and characterized, especially the structurefunction relationship and their roles in tumorigenesis 1 (Figure 1). ABC transporter proteins are best known for mediating multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer and lead to failure of chemotherapy. Besides, studies also revealed their critical roles in cancer as more than efflux pumps. 2,3 ABC transporter superfamily is composed of 7 subfamilies, namely ABCA to ABCG In human the ABC transporter superfamily is divided into least 48 members with different functions.