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The aminopyrrolidine amide PF-429242 is a specific inhibitor of the Site-1 Protease which is responsible for the cleavage, and thus the activation of the Activating Transcription Factor6 that down regulates many genes, during the Unfolded Protein Response. We hypothesized that PF-429242 could be used to prevent the ATF6-dependent down regulation of some genes. We chose the CFTR gene encoding the CFTR chloride channel as a model because it is down-regulated by ATF6 in Cystic Fibrosis. We evaluated the action of PF-429242 in human bronchial cells expressing the most frequent mutation of CFTR (p.Phe508del) found in patients. We observed that PF-429242 increases the synthesis of the mRNA and the protein encoded by the CFTR gene harbouring the mutation. We also observed that PF-429242 alleviates the defects of the p.Phe508del-CFTR channel in human Cystic Fibrosis cells. Our results suggest that aminopyrrolidine amide is a potential therapeutic target for Cystic Fibrosis that could also have beneficial effects in other diseases involving CFTR, such as the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Cystic fibrosis (CF), one of the most common fatal hereditary disorders, is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The CFTR gene product is a multidomain adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) protein that functions as a chloride (Cl(-)) channel that is regulated by intracellular magnesium [Mg(2+)]i. The most common mutations in CFTR are a deletion of a phenylalanine residue at position 508 (ΔF508-CFTR, 70-80 % of CF phenotypes) and a Gly551Asp substitution (G551D-CFTR, 4-5 % of alleles), which lead to decreased or almost abolished Cl(-) channel function, respectively. Magnesium ions have to be finely regulated within cells for optimal expression and function of CFTR. Therefore, the melastatin-like transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily M, member 7 (TRPM7), which is responsible for Mg(2+) entry, was studies and [Mg(2+)]i measured in cells stably expressing wildtype CFTR, and two mutant proteins (ΔF508-CFTR and G551D-CFTR). This study shows for the first time that [Mg(2+)]i is decreased in cells expressing ΔF508-CFTR and G551D-CFTR mutated proteins. It was also observed that the expression of the TRPM7 protein is increased; however, membrane localization was altered for both ΔF508del-CFTR and G551D-CFTR. Furthermore, both the function and regulation of the TRPM7 channel regarding Mg(2+) is decreased in the cells expressing the mutated CFTR. Ca(2+) influx via TRPM7 were also modified in cells expressing a mutated CFTR. Therefore, there appears to be a direct involvement of TRPM7 in CF physiopathology. Finally, we propose that the TRPM7 activator Naltriben is a new potentiator for G551D-CFTR as the function of this mutant increases upon activation of TRPM7 by Naltriben.

Cystic fibrosis is the most common lethal autosomal recessive disease in the Caucasian population, and is due to mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The CFTR protein functions as a chloride channel. Electrophoretic analysis shows that normal CFTR exists in three different molecular weight forms of 127, 131 and 170 kDa (bands A, B and C, respectively) representing different glycosylation forms. Band A is the non-glycosylated form of CFTR, band B is the core-glycosylated CFTR and band C is the mature form of CFTR with complex glycosylation. The glycosylation state of CFTR is representative of its maturation and is an important marker of the protein processing and function. The most common mutation in CF is a missing phenylalanine at position 508 (F508del-CFTR). The misfolded F508del-CFTR protein, which exhibits an altered glycosylation, is observed as bands A and B only and does not traffic correctly to the plasma membrane. Laboratory experiments (SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, glycosidase digestions, and mobility shift of deglycosylated CFTR) aimed to assess the expression of CFTR and to depict which band is observed have been developed. Nevertheless, these experimental procedures are time consuming and poorly specific. The aim of the present study was to provide an easy, rapid and reproducible methodology to assess whether the CFTR protein within a protein extract is expressed and matured. We show here that surface plasmon resonance (SPR) permits a direct detection of the mature form of CFTR in crude cell lysates, providing a new tool to characterize CFTR in cells without any labelling or pre-treatment before cell lysis. The study of the effects of correctors for F508del-CFTR is the main task of many laboratories. Therefore, the proposed method is likely a useful tool for a rapid detection of mature CFTR in complex samples. We also show here that our method permits the characterization of CFTR in patients' cell extracts in a minimum time.

Cystic Fibrosis is due to mutations in the CFTR gene. The missense mutation G551D (approx. 5% of cases) encodes a CFTR chloride channel with normal cell surface expression but with an altered chloride channel activity, leading to a severe phenotype. Our aim was to identify specific interacting proteins of G551D-CFTR which could explain the channel defect. Wild-type CFTR (Wt-CFTR) was co-immunoprecipitated from stably transfected HeLa cells and resolved by 2D gel electrophoresis. Among the detected spots, one was expressed at a high level. Mass Spectrometry revealed that it corresponded to actin which is known to be involved in the CFTR's channel function. To assess whether actin could be involved in the altered G551D-CFTR function, its basal expression was studied. Because actin expression was the same in wt- and in G551D-CFTR expressing cells, its interaction with both wt- and G551D-CFTR was studied by co-immunoprecipitation, and we found that a higher amount of actin was bound onto G551D-CFTR than onto Wt-CFTR. The role of actin upon wt- and G551D-CFTR function was further studied by patch-clamp experiments after cytochalasin D treatment of the cells. We found a decrease of the very weak currents in G551D-CFTR expressing cells. Because a higher amount of actin is bound onto G551D-CFTR than onto Wt-CFTR, it is likely to be not involved in the mutated CFTR's defect. Nevertheless, because actin is necessary to maintain the very weak global currents observed in G551D-CFTR expressing HeLa cells, we conclude that more actin is necessary to maintain G551D-CFTR in the plasma membrane than for Wt-CFTR.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) is a cyclic-AMP dependent chloride channel expressed at the apical surface of epithelial cells lining various organs such as the respiratory tract. Defective processing and functioning of this protein caused by mutations in the CFTR gene results in loss of ionic balance, defective mucus clearance, increased proliferation of biofilms and inflammation of human airways observed in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The process by which CFTR folds and matures under the influence of various chaperones in the secretory pathway remains incompletely understood. Recently, calumenin, a secretory protein, belonging to the CREC family of low affinity calcium binding proteins has been identified as a putative CFTR chaperone whose biophysical properties and functions remain uncharacterized. We compared hydropathy, instability, charge, unfoldability, disorder and aggregation propensity of calumenin and other CREC family members with CFTR associated chaperones and calcium binding proteins, wild-type and mutant CFTR proteins and intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). We observed that calumenin, along with other CREC proteins, was significantly more charged and less folded compared to CFTR associated chaperones. Moreover like IDPs, calumenin and other CREC proteins were found to be less hydrophobic and aggregation prone. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close link between calumenin and other CREC proteins indicating how evolution might have shaped their similar biophysical properties. Experimentally, calumenin was observed to significantly reduce F508del-CFTR aggregation in a manner similar to AavLEA1, a well-characterized IDP. Fluorescence microscopy based imaging analysis also revealed altered trafficking of calumenin in bronchial cells expressing F508del-CFTR, indicating its direct role in the pathophysiology of CF. In conclusion, calumenin is characterized as a charged protein exhibiting close similarity with IDPs and is hypothesized to regulate F508del-CFTR folding by electrostatic effects. This work provides useful insights for designing optimized synthetic structural correctors of CFTR mutant proteins in the future.

International audience; Cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common autosomal recessive disease in Caucasians, is due to mutations in the CFTR gene. F508del, the most frequent mutation in patients, impairs CFTR protein folding and biosynthesis. The F508del-CFTR protein is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and its traffic to the plasma membrane is altered. Nevertheless, if it reaches the cell surface, it exhibits a Cl(-) channel function despite a short half-life. Pharmacological treatments may target the F508del-CFTR defect directly by binding to the mutant protein or indirectly by altering cellular proteostasis, and promote its plasma membrane targeting and stability. We previously showed that annexine A5 (AnxA5) directly binds to F508del-CFTR and, when overexpressed, promotes its membrane stability, leading to the restoration of some Cl(-) channel function in cells. Because Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) increases AnxA5 expression in some cells, we tested it in CF cells. We showed that human epithelial cells express GnRH-receptors (GnRH-R) and that GnRH induces an AnxA5 overexpression and an increased Cl(-) channel function in F508del-CFTR cells, due to an increased stability of the protein in the membranes. Beside the numerous physiological implications of the GnRH-R expression in epithelial cells, we propose that a topical use of GnRH is a potential treatment in CF.

The level of circulating anxA5 is correlated to various diseases such as acute myocardial infarction, trauma, thrombosis, inflammation and in some cancers. Our aim was to assess whether a direct approach using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) could be easily used to provide a rapid and cheap alternative to detect anxA5 in blood samples in human. Our results indicate that SPR permits to detect and quantify circulating anxA5 in serum with a minimum time of manipulation. Furthermore, we report here, for the first time, that the level of circulating anxA5 is significantly higher in male than in female (5.43 (± 0.02) and 4.41 (± 0.2)ng/ml, respectively). In conclusion, we found that SPR can be used to rapidly quantify anxA5 in patients and that a gender difference has to be taken into account to explain gender differences in the prevalence of some diseases.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal autosomal recessive disease in the Caucasian population. It is due to mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. To date, over 1910 mutations have been identified in the CFTR gene. Among these mutations, the CF-causing missense mutation G551D-CFTR (approx. 5% of cases) encodes for a CFTR chloride channel with normal expression on the cell surface. Nevertheless, it is associated with severe disease due to its altered channel activation. The aim of the present study was to identify specific interacting proteins of G551D-CFTR. Co-immunoprecipitated proteins with G551D-CFTR were resolved by 2D-gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Mass Spectrometry revealed that calumenin was present in the protein complex linked to G551D-CFTR. Despite its basal expression was not modified in G551D-CFTR expressing cells when compared to Wt-CFTR expressing cells, it was more abundant in the G551D-CFTR complex detected by immunoprecipitation. The calumenin-CFTR interaction was also shown by Surface Plasmon Resonance and further confirmed by computational analysis of the predicted calumenin's partners. Because in our cellular model calumenin was found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by immunofluorescence experiments, we suggest that calumenin is likely involved in the mutated CFTR's maturation. In conclusion, we showed for the first time that calumenin binds to CFTR and that it is increased in the G551D-CFTR complex. We suggest that it may be involved in the physiopathology of G551D-CFTR and that G551D-CFTR may follow a specific maturation and trafficking pathway. We also hypothesize that UPR may be triggered independently of the retention of G551D-CFTR in the ER because Grp78/Bip expression is increased in the cells. Finally, we propose here that Calumenin is a new CFTR chaperone.

In cystic fibrosis (CF), the most frequent mutant variant of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), F508del-CFTR protein, is misfolded and retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We previously showed that the unfolded protein response (UPR) may be triggered in CF. Since prolonged UPR activation leads to apoptosis via the calcium-calpain-caspase-12-caspase-3 cascade and because apoptosis is altered in CF, our aim was to compare the ER stress-induced apoptosis pathway between wild type (Wt) and F508del-CFTR expressing cells. Here we show that the calcium-calpain-caspase-12-caspase-3 cascade is altered in F508del-CFTR expressing cells. We propose that this alteration is involved in the altered apoptosis triggering observed in CF.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal autosomal recessive disease in the Caucasian population. It is due to mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. To date, over 1910 mutations have been identified in the CFTR gene. Among these mutations, the CF-causing missense mutation G551D-CFTR (approx. 5% of cases) encodes for a CFTR chloride channel with normal expression on the cell surface. Nevertheless, it is associated with severe disease due to its altered channel activation. The aim of the present study was to identify specific interacting proteins of G551D-CFTR. Co-immunoprecipitated proteins with G551D-CFTR were resolved by 2D-gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Mass Spectrometry revealed that calumenin was present in the protein complex linked to G551D-CFTR. Despite its basal expression was not modified in G551D-CFTR expressing cells when compared to Wt-CFTR expressing cells, it was more abundant in the G551D-CFTR complex detected by immunoprecipitation. The calumenin-CFTR interaction was also shown by Surface Plasmon Resonance and further confirmed by computational analysis of the predicted calumenin’s partners. Because in our cellular model calumenin was found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by immunofluorescence experiments, we suggest that calumenin is likely involved in the mutated CFTR’s maturation. In conclusion, we showed for the first time that calumenin binds to CFTR and that it is increased in the G551D-CFTR complex. We suggest that it may be involved in the physiopathology of G551D-CFTR and that G551D-CFTR may follow a specific maturation and trafficking pathway. We also hypothesize that UPR may be triggered independently of the retention of G551D-CFTR in the ER because Grp78/Bip expression is increased in the cells. Finally, we propose here that Calumenin is a new CFTR chaperone. Citation: Teng L, Kerbiriou M, Taiya M, Le Hir S, Mignen O, et al. (2012) Proteomic Identification of Calumenin as a G551D CFTR Associated Protein. PLoS ONE 7(6): e40173. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040173 Editor: Sue Cotterill, St. Georges University of London, United Kingdom Received October 6, 2011; Accepted June 6, 2012; Published June 29, 2012 Copyright: 2012 Teng et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: This work was supported by grants from the association Gaetan Salaun, the ‘‘Etablissement Francais du Sang’’ and the French CF foundation ‘‘Vaincre la Mucoviscidose’’. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * E-mail: pascal.trouve@univ-brest.fr (PT); claude.ferec@univ-brest.fr (CF)