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Availability and applications of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter blockers

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Abstract

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters encompass membrane transport proteins that couple the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to the translocation of solutes across biological membranes. The functions of these proteins include ancient and conserved mechanisms related to nutrition and pathogenesis in bacteria, spore formation in fungi, and signal transduction, protein secretion and antigen presentation in eukaryotes. Furthermore, one of the major causes of drug resistance and chemotherapeutic failure in both cancer and anti-infective therapies is the active movement of compounds across membranes carried out by ABC transporters. Thus, the clinical relevance of ABC transporters is enormous, and the membrane transporters related to chemoresistance are among the best-studied members of the ABC transporter superfamily. As ABC transporter blockers can be used in combination with current drugs to increase their efficacy, the (possible) impact of efflux pump inhibitors is of great clinical interest. The present review summarizes the progress made in recent years in the identification, design, availability, and applicability of ABC transporter blockers in experimental scenarios oriented towards improving the treatment of infectious diseases caused by microorganisms including parasites.

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Acknowledgments

I am grateful for the financial support from the Venezuelan CDCH-UCV. I am grateful for the invitation of Prof. A. Steinbuchel to write this review.

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  1. Alicia Ponte-Sucre

    Present address: Institut für Molekulare Infektionsbiologie, Universität Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070, Wurzburg, Germany

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  1. Laboratorio de Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

    Alicia Ponte-Sucre

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Correspondence to Alicia Ponte-Sucre.

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Ponte-Sucre, A. Availability and applications of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter blockers. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 76, 279–286 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-1017-6

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