Detection of multidrug resistant gene 1 in pancreatic cancer
Yu-Pei Zhao, Li-Yang Zhang, Quan Liao, Jun-Chao Guo, Ge Chen and Jia-Yi Li
Beijing, China
Author Affiliations: Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China (Zhao YP, Zhang LY, Liao Q, Guo JC, Chen G and Li JY) Corresponding Author: Yu-Pei Zhao, MD, Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China (Tel: 86-10-65296021; Fax: 86-10-65296021; Email: zhao8028@263.net)
BACKGROUND: The results are conflicting in detecting P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to detect the expression of multidrug resistant gene 1 (MDR1) in pancreatic cancer cell lines.
METHODS: MDR1 mRNA and P-gp were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical assay (IHC) in three pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990, CAPAN-1 and P3. P-gp functions were evaluated through the rhodamine extrusion test.
RESULTS: Two of the three cell lines expressed MDR1 positively at different levels. The rhodamine extrusion test showed that the percentage of positive cells in MDR(+) cells was significantly lower than that in MDR1(-) cells. The results of IHC, RT-PCR and the rhodamine extrusion test were consistent with each other.
CONCLUSION: All of these methods are reliable in the detection of MDR1 in pancreatic cancer tissue, thus providing a guide for clinical chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer.
2004, Vol. 3 
