Drug membrane transporters enable access of compounds to phase I reactions and further elimination after phase II reactions. Thus, drug uptake transporters deliver the drug to an intracellular enzymatic detoxification system, whereas drug efflux transporters decrease the intracellular load from the detoxification system. Inhibition of transmembrane transporters may lead to a lower substrate uptake with a poorer intracellular access of the drug to the enzymatic systems.25 This synergy between metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters accounts for the distribution to brain tissues, and determines the pharmacokinetic

profile #Selleckchem PFT�� keyword# of CNS drugs.26 Furthermore, substrate similarity is well documented between membrane transporters and cytochrome P450 enzymes. For instance, substrates of the PGP multidrug resistance protein (MDR1) are usually substrates of the CYP3A4, digoxin and fexofenadine excepted.27 Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Characterization of drug transporters Many drug transporters are members of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily or the solute-linked

carrier (SLC) class. The ABC superfamily (ABC Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical transporters) comprises the main efflux membrane transporters for drug elimination, and the solute -linked carriers (SLC transporters) are invlolved with influx and efflux transport function for drug uptake and export.28 ABC transporters The ABC transporters are transmembranous proteins found in all animal species; they require energy from ATP hydrolysis to actively remove Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical compounds from the cell, often against a high concentration gradient. They are composed of two transmembrane

domains that form a pathway through which the substrates move, and by two nucleotide-binding domains located at the cytoplasmatic face of the membrane, providing ATP hydrolysis to allow substrate translocation across cellular membranes.29 Members of the ABC superfamily Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical are classified as such according to consensus sequences including both domains (Walkers A and Walkers B ATP-binding motifs), as well as the ABC signature (C motif).30 To date, 49 human ABC family members have been identified, first divided into seven different subfamilies. The ABC transporter superfamily includes medically important members such as the multidrug resistanceassociated protein 1 (MRP1) located at the basolatcral plasma membrane domain (abluminal),the multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2), the breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), and MDR1 (also known as PGP) localized at the apical membrane (luminal). MDR1 (encoded ABCB1), BCRP (encoded ABCG2), MRP1 (encoded ABCC1), and MRP2 (encoded ABCC2) were identified in the BBB at the luminal side of the capillary endothelial cells, M.