Studies on Function of P-Glycoprotein in Photodynamic Therapy of Endometriosis

Maria Wołuń-Cholewa, Krzysztof Szymanowski, Mirosław Andrusiewicz, Wojciech Warchoł
Photomedicine and laser surgery · 2010 · vol. 28(6) , pp. 735–740 · doi:10.1089/pho.2009.2657 · PMID:20969446 · W1971234332
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 3 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to examine whether the effects of endometriosis-targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT), dependent on 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), rely on the presence of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which is regarded as constituting one of the causes of multidrug resistance phenomenon. BACKGROUND: The significance of the undertaken studies reflects the complete absence of reports related to the modulation of P-gp activity and efficacy of PDT in patients with endometriosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tissue samples of normal endometria were obtained from eight women after hysterectomy who were diagnosed with cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia. Fragments of ovarian endometriosis were obtained from 15 women. Epithelial cells were isolated from the material and in in vitro conditions were preincubated with P-gp blocker-verapamil-before ALA-PDT. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using the XTT test, allowing us to estimate cell growth inhibition. Statistical analysis of the results involved the nonparametric Wilcoxon paired rank test and the Mann-Whitney U-test using the Statistica v5 software (p < 0.05). In parallel, P-gp presence in the analyzed material was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In normal endometrial epithelium, verapamil was shown to intensify phototoxic effects at 2 and 4 mmol/L ALA (p < 0.05). In endometriotic epithelium, such intensification was noted in all examined concentrations of ALA (p < 0.001). Moreover, the ectopic epithelial cells were more sensitive than eutopic epithelial cells to PDT upon ALA alone, as well as after preincubation with verapamil. Immunohistohemical analysis allowed us to demonstrate the absence of glycoprotein P in normal endometrium. In endometriosis, P-gp was localised in both the epithelium and the stroma of the examined material. CONCLUSION: Phototoxic effects could be amplified in epithelial cells of endometriotic foci by appropriate action of verapamil and 5-aminolevulinic acid.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 Endometriosis Endometrium Photochemotherapy Uterine Diseases Aminolevulinic Acid ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 Calcium Channel Blockers Calcium Channel Blockers Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Female Humans Immunohistochemistry Photosensitizing Agents Uterine Diseases Uterine Diseases Verapamil Verapamil

Citation neighborhood (sparse)

Too few in-corpus citations on either side for a chart; here are the lists.

Cites (4)

Cited by (3)

References (20)

Cited by (3)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-06-11T06:19:48.454388+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-04T00:00:01.174412+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-05-13T22:17:00.782903+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK