PARTIAL INHIBITION OF MULTIDRUG-RESISTANCE BY SAFINGOL IS INDEPENDENT OF MODULATION OF P-GLYCOPROTEIN SUBSTRATE ACTIVITIES AND CORRELATED WITH INHIBITION OF PROTEIN-KINASE-C

Safingol is a lysosphingolipid protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor that competitively interacts at the regulatory phorbol binding domain of PKC. We investigated the effects of safingol on antineoplastic drug sensitivity and PKC activity of MCF-7 tumor cell lines. Safingol treatment of P-32-labeled MCF-7 WT and MCF-7 DOX(R) cells inhibited phosphorylation of the myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate in both cell lines, suggesting inhibition of cellular PKC. However, only in MCF-7 DOX(R) cells did safingol treatment increase accumulation of [H-3]vinblastine and enhance toxicity of Vinca alkaloids and anthracyclines. Drug accumulation changes in MCF-7 DOX(R) cells treated with safingol were accompanied by inhibition of basal and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate stimulated phosphorylation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Expression of P-gp and levels of mdr1 message in MCF-7 DOX(R) cells were not altered by safingol treatment alone or in combination with vinblastine. Treatment of MCF-7 DOX(R) cell membranes with safingol did not inhibit [H-3]vinblastine binding or [H-3]azidopine photoaffinity labeling of P-gp. Furthermore, safingol did not stimulate P-gp ATPase activity in membranes pre pared from MCF-7 DOX(R) cells. We conclude that enhanced drug accumulation and sensitivity in MCF-7 DOX(R) cells treated with safingol are correlated with inhibition of PKC rather than competitive interference with P-gp drug binding through direct interaction with P-glycoprotein.