Effect of sex hormones on the expression of ABC transporters glycoprotein-P and breast cancer resistance protein in vitro

P-glycoprotein (Pgp, ABCB1 protein, MDR1 protein) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2) are the most studied of the ABC transporter superfamily. Proteins of this superfamily provide the transport of substrates through the bilipid membrane of cells due to the energy of ATP. In this study, we studied the effect of sex hormones on the expression of the MDR1 encoding Pgp and ABCG2 encoding BCRP genes on Caco-2 cells in vitro. Estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone were added to the cells at concentrations of 1 nM, 10 nM, 100 nM, 1 М, 10 М, and 100 М and incubated for 24 hours. After the incubation was completed, the total RNA was isolated and the expression of the MDR1 and ABCG2 was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. During the study, it was found that estradiol increases the expression of the MDR1 gene at concentrations of 1-100 М, increases the expression of the ABCG2 gene at concentrations of 100 nM, 1, 10 and 100 М in Caco-2 cells. Progesterone increases the expression of the MDR1 and ABCG2 genes at concentrations of 10-100 М. Testosterone at concentrations of 10 and 100 М reduces the mRNA level of the MDR1 gene and increases the expression of the ABCG2 gene in the concentration range of 1-100 М.