Induction of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 in liver, intestine and kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Many studies have demonstrated that Mrp2 is highly regulated in some physiopathological situations. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of diabetes mellitus on function and expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) in rat liver, kidney and intestine. Diabetic rats were induced by an intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) and randomly divided into diabetic (DM) rats and insulin-treated diabetic rats. Sulfobromophthalein (BSP), a substrate of Mrp2, was used to evaluate Mrp2 function in vivo. Data from excretion experiments demonstrated that compared with normal rats, diabetes markedly enhanced BSP excretion via bile, urine and intestinal perfusate, which contributed to the elevated plasma clearance of BSP after intravenous administration of 45 μmol/kg BSP. Western blot results showed higher levels of hepatic, renal and intestinal Mrp2 protein in DM rats, although no difference was observed in renal Mrp2. Insulin treatment partly reversed these alterations. Induction of Mrp2 by diabetes was in parallel with the increase in bile flow, levels of biliary and plasma total bile acid (TBA), and plasma conjugated bilirubin in DM rats. Diabetes may enhance Mrp2 function and expression in liver, kidney and intestine, which might be due to insulin deficiency, increased TBA and conjugated bilirubin.