Curcumin cross-links cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) polypeptides and potentiates CFTR channel activity by distinct mechani

J Biol Chem. 2009 Sep 9. [Epub ahead of print]

Curcumin cross-links cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) polypeptides and potentiates CFTR channel activity by distinct mechanisms.

Bernard K, Wang W, Narlawar R, Schmidt B, Kirk KL.

University of Alabama at Birmingham, United States;

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the CFTR chloride channel. Wild type and mutant CFTR channels can be activated by curcumin, a well tolerated dietary compound with some appeal as a prospective CF therapeutic. However, we show here that curcumin has the unexpected effect of cross-linking CFTR polypeptides into SDS-resistant oligomers. This effect occurred for CFTR channels in microsomes as well as in intact cells and at the same concentrations that are effective for promoting CFTR channel activity (5-50 microM).

Both mature CFTR polypeptides at the cell surface and immature CFTR protein in the endoplasmic reticulum were cross-linked by curcumin, although the latter pool was more susceptible to this modification. Curcumin cross-linked two CF mutant channels (deltaF508 and G551D) as well as a variety of deletion constructs that lack the major cytoplasmic domains. In vitro cross-linking could be prevented by high concentrations of oxidant scavengers (i.e., reduced glutathione and sodium azide) indicating a possible oxidation reaction with the CFTR polypeptide. Importantly, cyclic derivatives of curcumin that lack the reactive beta- diketone moiety had no cross-linking activity. One of these cyclic derivatives stimulated the activities of wild type CFTR channels, 1198-CFTR channels and G551D-CFTR channels in excised membrane patches. Like the parent compound, the cyclic derivative irreversibly activated CFTR channels in excised patches during prolonged exposure (> 5 min).

Our results raise a note of caution about undesired biochemical effects of reactive compounds like curcumin in the treatment of CF. Cyclic curcumin derivatives may have better therapeutic potential in this regard.

PMID: 19740743 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

FULL ARTICLE http://www.jbc.org/cgi/reprint/M109.056010v1.pdf