Characterization of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 in the hepatocellular disposition of 4-hydroxynonenal

4-Hydroxynonenal (4HNE) is a major product of peroxidative membrane lipid destruction and exerts a variety of deleterious actions through formation of covalent adducts with cellular nucleophiles. Consequently, a number of cellular enzyme systems exist that are capable of detoxifying this reactive aldehyde by oxidation, reduction, or conjugation with glutathione. In this investigation we characterize the multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2) as the primary transmembrane transport protein in hepatocytes responsible for extracellular export of 4HNE–glutathione conjugate (HNE-SG) from the intracellular site of its formation. Suspensions of freshly isolated hepatocytes (106 cells/ml) prepared from either wild-type (WT) Wistar rats or TR− rats possessing a mutated Mrp2 gene were incubated with 4HNE (50 nmol/106 cells). The formation of 4HNE metabolites, 4-hydroxynonenoic acid (HNA) and HNE-SG, was quantified in the intracellular and extracellular fractions. These studies demonstrated that freshly isolated hepatocytes from both WT and TR− rats formed and exported the oxidized metabolite (HNA) to similar extents. Likewise, both populations of hepatocytes displayed nearly identical rates of glutathione conjugation with 4HNE. However, the rate of HNE-SG export from TR− hepatocytes was approximately fourfold less than that of WT hepatocytes. In TR− hepatocytes, HNE-SG accumulated and remained predominantly intracellular throughout the time course, suggesting an absence of compensatory export by other hepatocellular transporters. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that although WT and TR− hepatocytes are similar in their conjugative and oxidative metabolism of 4HNE, export of 4HNE-SG is mediated by the MRP2 transporter, a transport system distinct from that involved in HNA efflux.