TY - JOUR T1 - Quantitative Investigation of the Role of Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (Bcrp/<em>Abcg2</em>) in Limiting Brain and Testis Penetration of Xenobiotic Compounds JF - Drug Metabolism and Disposition JO - Drug Metab Dispos SP - 995 LP - 1002 DO - 10.1124/dmd.107.019257 VL - 36 IS - 6 AU - Junichi Enokizono AU - Hiroyuki Kusuhara AU - Atsushi Ose AU - Alfred H. Schinkel AU - Yuichi Sugiyama Y1 - 2008/06/01 UR - http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/36/6/995.abstract N2 - The role of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) in limiting the brain and testis penetration of xenobiotic compounds in the blood-brain and -testis barriers was investigated using Bcrp–/– mice. Tissue/plasma concentration ratios in the brain (Kp,brain) and testis (Kp,testis) obtained under steady-state conditions were significantly increased in Bcrp–/– mice for PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine), N-hydroxyl PhIP, MeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline), dantrolene, and prazosin. In addition, the Kp,brain of triamterene and the Kp,testis of 4′-hydroxyl PhIP were also significantly increased in Bcrp–/– mice. The effect of functional impairment of Bcrp on the brain uptake of PhIP, dantrolene, and daidzein in Bcrp–/– mice determined using in situ brain perfusion was weaker than that observed on the Kp values. In vitro transcellular transport experiments using cell lines expressing mouse Bcrp or P-glycoprotein (Mdr1a/Abcb1a) showed that, among the tested Bcrp substrates, PhIP, MeIQx, prazosin, and triamterene are common substrates of Bcrp and P-glycoprotein. The Kp values of common substrates exhibited a smaller increase both in the brain and testis of Bcrp–/– mice than expected from the in vitro Bcrp activities. The Bcrp-specific substrates were weak acids, whereas basic or neutral BCRP substrates were also P-glycoprotein substrates. These results suggest that BCRP limits the tissue penetration of xenobiotic compounds in the blood-brain and -testis barriers, but its in vivo importance is also modulated by P-glycoprotein activity. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics ER -