ATP-binding cassette transporters are enriched in non-caveolar detergent-insoluble glycosphingolipid-enriched membrane domains (DIGs) in human multidrug-resistant cancer cells

In this study we show that P-glycoprotein in multi-drug-resistant 2780AD human ovarian carcinoma cells and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 in multi-drug-resistant HT29(col) human colon carcinoma cells are predominantly located in Lubrol-based detergent-insoluble glycosphingolipid-enriched membrane domains. This localization is independent of caveolae, since 2780AD cells do not express caveolin-1. Although HT29(col) cells do express caveolin-1, the ATP-binding cassette transporter and caveolin-1 were dissociated on the basis of differential solubility in Triton X-100 and absence of microscopical colocalization. While both the multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 and caveolin-1 are located in Lubrol-based membrane domains, they occupy different regions of these domains.