Albumin influences expression and function of the membrane transporter P-glycoprotein in HK-2 human proximal tubular cells.

CONCLUSIONS: Tubular cells exposed to albumin present a decrease in both protein and gene expression of Pgp with impairment in transport function. The overexposure of tubular cells to toxic substrates due to Pgp transport failure represents a novel mechanism of tubular damage linked to proteinuria.
PMID: 19384845 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Nephrology)