Lung Resistance-Related Protein: Determining Its Role in Multidrug Resistance

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Abstract
Resistance to cytotoxic drugs remains a major obstacle for the successful treatment of cancer ( 1 ). Over the past two decades, a great deal of information has emerged that elucidates how cancer cells become drug resistant. At least one prominent drug-resistance mechanism in cancer cells is the reduction of intracellular drug concentration at the putative drug target. There are at least two mechanisms capable of reducing drug concentration at the target site. The most obvious mechanism involves an overall reduction in intracellular drug concentration by reducing drug uptake or enhancing drug efflux. A second mechanism could be a redistribution of drug away from the target. In this case, the total concentration of drug may not be reduced, but the intracellular distribution may be altered, thereby reducing the drug concentration at the site of action.