scholarly journals The CFTR and ENaC debate: how important is ENaC in CF lung disease?

2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (11) ◽  
pp. L1141-L1146 ◽  
Author(s):  
James F. Collawn ◽  
Ahmed Lazrak ◽  
Zsuzsa Bebok ◽  
Sadis Matalon

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by the loss of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) function and results in a respiratory phenotype that is characterized by dehydrated mucus and bacterial infections that affect CF patients throughout their lives. Much of the morbidity and mortality in CF results from a failure to clear bacteria from the lungs. What causes the defect in the bacterial clearance in the CF lung has been the subject of an ongoing debate. Here we discuss the arguments for and against the role of the epithelial sodium channel, ENaC, in the development of CF lung disease.

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 563-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsukasa Okiyoneda ◽  
Kazutsune Harada ◽  
Motohiro Takeya ◽  
Kaori Yamahira ◽  
Ikuo Wada ◽  
...  

The most common cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutant in cystic fibrosis patients, ΔF508 CFTR, is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and is consequently degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway known as ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Because the prolonged interaction of ΔF508 CFTR with calnexin, an ER chaperone, results in the ERAD of ΔF508 CFTR, calnexin seems to lead it to the ERAD pathway. However, the role of calnexin in the ERAD is controversial. In this study, we found that calnexin overexpression partially attenuated the ERAD of ΔF508 CFTR. We observed the formation of concentric membranous bodies in the ER upon calnexin overexpression and that the ΔF508 CFTR but not the wild-type CFTR was retained in the concentric membranous bodies. Furthermore, we observed that calnexin overexpression moderately inhibited the formation of aggresomes accumulating the ubiquitinated ΔF508 CFTR. These findings suggest that the overexpression of calnexin may be able to create a pool of ΔF508 CFTR in the ER.


Author(s):  
Elena N. Huang ◽  
Henry Quach ◽  
Jin-A Lee ◽  
Joshua Dierolf ◽  
Theo J. Moraes ◽  
...  

The cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein is a cAMP-activated anion channel that is critical for regulating fluid and ion transport across the epithelium. This process is disrupted in CF epithelia, and patients harbouring CF-causing mutations experience reduced lung function as a result, associated with the increased rate of mortality. Much progress has been made in CF research leading to treatments that improve CFTR function, including small molecule modulators. However, clinical outcomes are not necessarily mutation-specific as individuals harboring the same genetic mutation may present with varying disease manifestations and responses to therapy. This suggests that the CFTR protein may have alternative functions that remain under-appreciated and yet can impact disease. In this mini review, we highlight some notable research implicating an important role of CFTR protein during early lung development and how mutant CFTR proteins may impact CF airway disease pathogenesis. We also discuss recent novel cell and animal models that can now be used to identify a developmental cause of CF lung disease.


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