Evaluation of autophagy inducers in epithelial cells carrying the ΔF508 mutation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator CFTR

Cell Death Dis. 2018 Feb 7;9(2):191. doi: 10.1038/s41419-017-0235-9.

Abstract

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) due to the ΔF508 mutation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) can be treated with a combination of cysteamine and Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Since ECGC is not a clinically approved drug, we attempted to identify other compounds that might favourably interact with cysteamine to induce autophagy and thus rescuing the function of ΔF508 CFTR as a chloride channel in the plasma membrane. For this, we screened a compound library composed by chemically diverse autophagy inducers for their ability to enhance autophagic flux in the presence of cysteamine. We identified the antiarrhythmic Ca2+ channel blocker amiodarone, as an FDA-approved drug having the property to cooperate with cysteamine to stimulate autophagy in an additive manner. Amiodarone promoted the re-expression of ΔF508 CFTR protein in the plasma membrane of respiratory epithelial cells. Hence, amiodarone might be yet another compound for the etiological therapy of CF in patients bearing the ΔF508 CFTR mutation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autophagy / drug effects
  • Bronchi / cytology
  • Catechin / analogs & derivatives
  • Catechin / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cysteamine / pharmacology
  • Cystic Fibrosis / drug therapy*
  • Cystic Fibrosis / genetics
  • Cystic Fibrosis / metabolism
  • Cystic Fibrosis / pathology*
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / biosynthesis
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / genetics*
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Transfection

Substances

  • CFTR protein, human
  • cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator delta F508
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator
  • Cysteamine
  • Catechin
  • epigallocatechin gallate