Role of ABC Efflux Transporters in the Oral Bioavailability and Drug-induced Intestinal Toxicity

The gastrointestinal tract is the organ that absorbs nutrients and water from foods and drinks. This organ is often exposed to various harmful xenobiotics, and therefore possesses various detoxification/barrier systems, including metabolizing enzymes and efflux transporters. Intestinal epithelial cells express ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux transporters such as P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs) and breast cancer resistance protein, in addition to various solute carrier (SLC) influx transporters. These transporters are expressed site- and membrane-specifically in enterocytes, which affects the bioavailability of ingested substrate drugs. Expression and/or function of transporters can be modulated by various compounds, including therapeutic drugs, herbal products, some foods, and by disease states. The modulation of transporters could cause unexpectedly higher or lower blood concentrations, marked inter- and intra-individual variations in pharmacokinetics, and unreliable pharmacological actions in association with toxicities of substrates. Recently, we found that hyperbilirubinemia, which occurs in some disease states, increased intestinal accumulation and toxicity of methotrexate, an MRP substrate, because of the suppression of MRP function by high plasma concentrations of conjugated bilirubin. We also attempted to ameliorate the intestinal toxicity of irinotecan hydrochloride by modulating the hepatic and intestinal functions of MRP2. This review summarizes our findings regarding the role of ABC transporters, especially MRPs, in oral bioavailability and in drug-induced intestinal toxicity. Our approach to treat intestinal toxicity using an MRP2 modulator is also described.