ABSTRACT:In vitro assays are frequently used for the screening of substrates and inhibitors of transporter-mediated efflux. Examining directional flux across Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) II cell monolayers that overexpress a transporter protein is particularly useful in identifying whether or not a candidate compound is an inhibitor or substrate for that transport system. Studies that use a single substrate or inhibitor in competition assays can be challenging to interpret because of the possible multiple mechanisms involved in substrate/inhibitor-protein interactions. During our previous studies of substrate-inhibitor-transporter interactions, we observed differences in breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) inhibition, depending on the substrate and the inhibitor. Therefore, we investigated BCRP-mediated interactions with a 4 ؋ 4 matrix of substrates and inhibitors using monolayers formed from MDCKII cells transfected with murine BCRP (Bcrp1/Abcg2). The selective BCRP inhibitor 3-(6-isobutyl- Multidrug resistance observed in cancer therapy is commonly attributed to ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux transporter proteins, such as P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). These ABC transport proteins are localized not only in drug-resistant cancer cells, but also in the plasma membranes of epithelial cells in various normal tissues such as intestine, liver, kidney, placenta, and the blood-brain barrier where they can influence absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of their substrates (Leslie et al., 2005). The efflux transport protein BCRP is expressed in various organs, and because of its transmembrane orientation, this transporter is able to extrude substrates out of the cell (Maliepaard et al., 2001). BCRP is considered a half-transporter because of the presence of only six transmembrane domains, and it has been shown to exist in a multisubunit oligomeric structure that may be critical for its function (Bhatia et al., 2005).Numerous in vitro studies have characterized substrate-transporter interactions and these effects have also been observed in vivo (Merino et al., 2006;Shaik et al., 2007). Interaction of BCRP with various substrate molecules in vitro and in vivo has provided evidence that BCRP-mediated efflux could play a major role in the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of its substrate molecules (Staud and Pavek, 2005). Identifying inhibitors that modulate BCRPmediated efflux of substrates could be valuable in enhancing target exposure to the drug. Various molecules have been shown to have inhibitory effects on BCRP-mediated transport of its substrates. GF120918 is a potent P-gp inhibitor that was shown to also have an inhibitory effect on BCRP-mediated transport. For instance, GF120918 inhibits BCRP-mediated transport of abacavir, zidovudine, STI-571 (imatinib), and prazosin (Breedveld et al., 2005;Ejendal and Hrycyna, 2005;Pan et al., 2007). Fumitremorgin C was identified as the first select...