Abstract

Disruption of the murine mdr2 gene leads to the complete absence of biliary phospholipids. We tested the hypothesis that the increase in biliary phospholipid output induced by fibrates is mediated via induction of the hepatic mdr2 gene and its encoded product, the P-glycoprotein canalicular flippase. Increased levels of mdr2 mRNA were observed in the liver of mice treated with different fibrates: ciprofibrate, 660 ± 155% (as compared with control group); clofibrate, 611 ± 77%; bezafibrate, 410 ± 47%; fenofibrate, 310 ± 52%; gemfibrozil, 190 ± 25% (P < 0.05 compared with control group). Induction of expression of the mdr gene family was specific to the mdr2 gene. Two- to three-fold increases in P-glycoprotein immunodetection were evident on the canalicular plasma-membrane domain of clofibrate- and ciprofibrate-treated mice. Biliary phospholipid output increased from 4.2 ± 1.2 nmol/min per g of liver in the control group to 8.5 ± 0.6, 7.1 ± 2.9 and 5.8 ± 2.5 in ciprofibrate-, clofibrate- and bezafibrate-treated mice respectively (P < 0.05 compared with control group). Moreover, a significant correlation between biliary phospholipid output and the relative levels of mdr2 mRNA was found (r = 0.86; P < 0.05). In treated animals, bile flow as well as cholesterol and bile acid outputs remained unchanged. Our findings constitute the first evidence that pharmacological modulation of biliary lipid secretion mediated by fibrates can be related to the overexpression of a spaced liver gene product, the mdr2 P-glycoprotein, and are consistent with the hypothesis that the mdr2 P-glycoprotein isoform plays a crucial role in the secretion of biliary phospholipid.