Pyrophosphate Stimulates Wild-type and Mutant Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Cl− Channels (∗)

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 270; no. 35; pp. 20466 - 20472
• Main Authors: Carson, Mark R., Winter, Michael C., Travis, Sue M., Welsh, Michael J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.1995; American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - pharmacology; Animals; Cell Line; Cell Membrane - physiology; Chloride Channels - drug effects; Chloride Channels - physiology; Cyclic AMP - pharmacology; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases - pharmacology; Cystic Fibrosis - genetics; Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator; Diphosphates - pharmacology; Epithelium - physiology; Etidronic Acid - pharmacology; HeLa Cells; Humans; Kinetics; Mammary Glands, Animal; Membrane Potentials - drug effects; Membrane Potentials - physiology; Membrane Proteins - drug effects; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Membrane Proteins - physiology; Mice; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Point Mutation; Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis; Recombinant Proteins - drug effects; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; Transfection
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.270.35.20466

A unique feature of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl− channel is regulation by ATP through the two cytoplasmic nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). To better understand this process, we asked how channel activity is affected by inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), a compound that binds to NBDs in other proteins. PPi and three nonhydrolyzable PPi analogs reversibly stimulated the activity of phosphorylated channels. Kinetic modeling of single channel data demonstrated that PPi affected two distinct steps in channel regulation. First, PPi increased the rate at which channels opened. Second, once channels were open, PPi delayed their closure. PPi could only stimulate channels when it was applied in the presence of ATP. PPi also increased the photolabeling of CFTR by an ATP analog. These two findings suggest that PPi modifies the activity of ATP-dependent CFTR channel gating. Based on these and previous data, we speculate that the effects of PPi are mediated by binding of PPi to NBD2 where it regulates channel opening by NBD1, and then, because it is not hydrolyzed, it slows the rate of NBD2-mediated channel closing. Because PPi stimulated wild-type channels, we tested its effect on CFTR containing the cystic fibrosis mutations: ΔF508, R117H, and G551S. PPi stimulated all three. PPi also stimulated endogenous CFTR in the apical membrane of permeabilized T-84 epithelia. These results suggest that PPi or an analog might be of value in the development of new approaches to the treatment of cystic fibrosis.