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R C Boucher

Publications and source records attributed to R C Boucher.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Pharmacologic treatment of abnormal ion transport in the airway epithelium in cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a recessive genetic disease reflecting mutations in the gene coding for the CF transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein, which normally functions as a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated chloride (Cl-) channel. Functional abnormalities include thick airway secretions resulting from defective cAMP-mediated Cl- (liquid) secretion and a related defect, excessive sodium (Na+) (liquid) absorption. Novel pharmacologic agents are being tested as therapy for these ion transport defects. Aerosolized amiloride inhibits excessive Na+ absorption, and pilot studies in adult patients with CF show slowing of the disease-associated decline in lung function. Clinical trials of amiloride are currently underway in adults and adolescents, and short-term safety studies have been initiated in children. Aerosolized uridine triphosphate (UTP) induces Cl- (and liquid) secretion in CF airway epithelia via non-CFTR Cl- channels. Short-term aerosolized UTP is well tolerated by normal subjects and patients with CF, and pilot studies in normal subjects show that aerosolized UTP is an effective stimulator of mucociliary clearance. Pharmacotherapy that modifies airway epithelial ion transport may provide new opportunities for treatment of CF lung disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Inefficient gene transfer by adenovirus vector to cystic fibrosis airway epithelia of mice and humans.

The success of adenoviral vectors for gene therapy of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) depends on efficient transfer of the complementary DNA encoding the correct version of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) to the affected columnar epithelial cells lining the airways of the lung. Pre-clinical studies in vitro suggest that low doses of adenovirus vectors carrying this CFTR cDNA can correct defective Cl- transport in cultured human CF airway epithelia. Here we use mice carrying the disrupted CF gene to test the efficacy of this transfer system in vivo. We find that even repeated high doses can only partially (50%) correct the CF defect in Cl- transport in vivo and do not correct the Na+ transport defect at all. We investigated this discrepancy between the in vivo and in vitro transfer efficiency using CF mouse and human samples, and found that it reflects a difference in the susceptibility to adenovirus-5 transduction of the epithelial cell types dosed in vivo (columnar) and in vitro (basal-cell-like). These studies indicate that more efficient adenoviral gene-transfer vectors and/or refinement of dosing strategies are needed for therapy of CF lung disease.

Adenoviruses, Human↗
PubMed1994

Cystic fibrosis heterozygote resistance to cholera toxin in the cystic fibrosis mouse model.

The effect of the number of cystic fibrosis (CF) alleles on cholera toxin (CT)-induced intestinal secretion was examined in the CF mouse model. CF mice that expressed no CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein did not secrete fluid in response to CT. Heterozygotes expressed 50 percent of the normal amount of CFTR protein in the intestinal epithelium and secreted 50 percent of the normal fluid and chloride ion in intestinal epithelium and secreted 50 percent of the normal fluid and chloride ion and fluid secretion suggests that CF heterozygotes might possess a selective advantage of resistance to cholera.

Alleles↗
PubMed1994

Cloning and expression of a human P2U nucleotide receptor, a target for cystic fibrosis pharmacotherapy.

The Cl- secretory pathway that is defective in cystic fibrosis (CF) can be bypassed by an alternative pathway for Cl- transport that is activated by extracellular nucleotides. Accordingly, the P2 receptor that mediates this effect is a therapeutic target for improving Cl- secretion in CF patients. In this paper, we report the sequence and functional expression of a cDNA cloned from human airway epithelial (CF/T43) cells that encodes a protein with properties of a P2U nucleotide receptor. With a retrovirus system, the human airway clone was stably expressed in 1321N1 astrocytoma cells, a human cell line unresponsive to extracellular nucleotides. Studies of inositol phosphate accumulation and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization induced by extracellular nucleotides in 1321N1 cells expressing the receptor identified this clone as the target receptor in human airway epithelia. In addition, we independently isolated an identical cDNA from human colonic epithelial (HT-29) cells, indicating that this is the same P2U receptor that has been functionally identified in other human tissues. Expression of the human P2U receptor (HP2U) in 1321N1 cells revealed evidence for autocrine ATP release and stimulation of transduced receptors. Thus, HP2U expression in the 1321N1 cell line will be useful for studying autocrine regulatory mechanisms and in screening of potential therapeutic drugs.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1994

Pyridine nucleotide redox potential modulates cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator Cl- conductance.

Cl- conductance of the apical membrane of airway epithelial cells has properties of a passive diffusion mechanism but is decreased by inhibition of oxidative metabolism. Recent reports that cAMP-dependent Cl- conductance also requires ATP at the intracellular domains of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) suggests that ATP concentration could mediate metabolic regulation of Cl- conductance. However, metabolic inhibitors affect processes other than ATP free energy levels, including notably the metabolic pathways that set the redox potential of pyridine nucleotides within the cell. We have investigated the possibility that CFTR-mediated Cl- conductance is affected by the ratio of oxidized to reduced intracellular pyridine nucleotides. CFTR was expressed in airway and heterologous cells and studied under whole cell voltage clamp conditions, which permitted the intracellular NAD(P)+/NAD(P)H ratio to be varied independently of ATP concentration. In three cell types expressing CFTR, whole cell dialysis with reduced pyridine nucleotides inhibited activation of Cl- currents by forskolin and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP (CPT-cAMP), whereas dialysis with oxidized pyridines increased both basal and stimulated CFTR-mediated Cl- conductance. In cell-attached membrane patches, the open probability of 5-6-picosiemens Cl- channels that had been activated by forskolin and CPT-cAMP was further and reversibly increased by permeant oxidants. Neither swelling-induced whole cell K+ currents in CFTR-expressing cells nor swelling-induced whole cell Cl- currents in multidrug resistance protein-expressing cells were affected by NADPH. Pyridine nucleotide redox potential had little effect on phosphorylation of histone by protein kinase A. We conclude that CFTR Cl- conductance function can be modulated by pyridine nucleotide redox potential. This effect points to the existence of a mechanism or mechanisms by which cytosolic nucleotides other than ATP can affect plasma membrane Cl- conductance and may help explain how a passive ion conductance is linked to cellular energy metabolism.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1994

Relationship of a non-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-mediated chloride conductance to organ-level disease in Cftr(-/-) mice.

Although loss of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-mediated Cl- channel function is common to all epithelia in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, the severity of disease varies in different organs. We hypothesized that differences in disease severity in CF relate to the expression of an "alternative" plasma membrane Cl- conductance. In CF mice [Cftr(-/-); mice homozygous for Ser-489 to Xaa mutation], which do not express cAMP CFTR-mediated Cl- secretion, we surveyed organs that exhibit a range of disease severity for a Ca(2+)-mediated apical membrane epithelial Cl- conductance. This alternative conductance (Cl-a) was detected in epithelia of organs from CF mice that exhibit a mild disease phenotype (airway, pancreas) but not in epithelia with a severe phenotype (small, large intestine). We conclude that (i) there is an intracellular Ca(2+)-regulated Cl- conductance that is molecularly distinct from CFTR; and (ii) the level of expression of this alternative Cl- conductance in the epithelium is an important determinant of the severity of organ-level disease in CF.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

The genetics of cystic fibrosis: a paradigm for uncovering new drug targets.

A broad-based approach will be required for the development of new therapies for cystic fibrosis lung disease. Recently, rapid progress has been made in identifying and testing a number of gene transfer vectors, including adenoviral vectors and liposomes. Major problems, however, have been identified with respect to the efficiency of these systems. Preliminary studies suggest that small molecules (e.g. amelioride and UTP) may normalize the clearance of secretions from the cystic fibrosis lung. The concept of recombinant protein based therapy for cystic fibrosis has now been realized with the successful application of DNase in clinical trials.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis using E1-deleted adenovirus: a phase I trial in the nasal cavity. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease that reflects mutations in the CFTR gene. Multiple mutations in this gene have been detected that lead to a protein (CFTR) that is abnormally metabolized, dysfunction, or both. The full spectrum of the activities of the gene product have not been defined, but it is clear that CFTR can act as a cAMP-regulated Cl- channel. This type of defect is consistent with the physiologic characterization of CF epithelia, which has revealed abnormalities in salt and water transport. In the lung, abnormalities in epithelial salt and water metabolism lead to abnormal mucociliary clearance. This defect in clerance represents a major failure of lung defense and leads ultimately to infection of the lung with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and other bacterial organisms. The chronic inflammatory response to this persistent intraluminal bacterial infection leads to protease-induced destruction of airway walls and finally, lung failure. More than 95% of CF patients die of lung disease. The clinical therapy of CF lung disease is limited to agents designed to promote clearance of secretions from the lung and antibiotics to treat the chronic bacterial infection. Recent laboratory demonstrations that introduction of the normal CFTR cDNA into CF cells corrects the ion transport defects of these cells has led to the hypothesis that gene therapy in the lung can be an effective, novel mode of therapy for this lung disease. The classic gene transfer vectors, e.g., retroviruses, appear to be not well suited for therapy of lung disease because of the low proliferation rate of airway epithelia in vivo. Recently, adenoviruses, which have a natural tropism for airway epithelia, have been genetically modified (E1-deleted) in an attempt to reduce potential toxicity of this virus and provide space for the CFTR cDNA. A series of in vitro studies have shown that this vector is highly efficient for transferring CFTR into airway epithelial cells in culture and correcting the CF defect. Further, studies in whole animals appear to indicate that this mode of gene transfer is associated with a low degree of toxicity. The present study is a dose-effect study designed to test for the safety and efficacy of E1-deleted recombinant adenovirus containing the CFTR cDNA under a CMV-beta-actin promoter in CF nasal epithelia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1994

Interaction of bioactive hydrophobic peptides with the human multidrug transporter.

In this report we demonstrate that various biologically active hydrophobic peptide derivatives, e.g., proteinase inhibitors, chemoattractants, ionophores, enkephalins, and immunosuppressants, stimulate a membrane ATPase activity associated with the human multidrug transporter (MDR1). The stimulation of the MDR1-ATPase by these agents does not correlate with their known biochemical or pharmacological activities but rather with their hydrophobicity. The peptides that show high-affinity interaction with the MDR1-ATPase also interfere strongly with fluorescent dye extrusion catalyzed by the multidrug transporter in intact cells and some have been shown to reverse drug resistance in cultured cells. These data suggest that several hydrophobic peptides behave as substrates of the multidrug transporter and may be used to modulate the chemotherapy resistance of tumor cells.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1994

Calcium-dependent release of arachidonic acid in response to purinergic receptor activation in airway epithelium.

The effect of purinergic receptor agonists on arachidonic acid release was investigated in [3H]arachidonic acid-prelabeled human airway epithelial cells. Exposure of bronchial epithelial BEAS39 cells to extracellular ATP resulted in a marked release of unesterified [3H]arachidonic acid with maximal effect observed within 60-90 s. [3H]diacylglycerol and [3H]phosphatidic acid accumulated in parallel with [3H]arachidonic acid. ATP-stimulated [3H]arachidonic acid release with a K0.5 of 9 +/- 2 microM and UTP was equipotent; no effect was observed with P2Y- or P2X-purinergic receptor agonists or with adenosine. Similar results were obtained with primary cultures of normal human nasal epithelium, CF/T43 and HBE1 airway epithelial cell lines derived from a cystic fibrosis patient and from a normal donor, respectively, and HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells. ATP stimulated inositol phosphate formation in BEAS39 cells with a concentration dependence identical to that for [3H]arachidonic acid release. The effect of ATP on both [3H]arachidonic acid release and inositol phosphate formation was equally inhibited by pertussis toxin. The Ca2+ ionophore A-23187 mimicked the effects of ATP or UTP on arachidonic acid release, and a marked inhibitory effect was observed with thapsigargin. The protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine partially inhibited ATP-stimulated [3H]arachidonic acid release. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that phospholipase A2 activation is secondary to P2U-purinergic receptor stimulation of D-myoinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate production and calcium mobilization from intracellular stores.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1994

Mechanism of sodium hyperabsorption in cultured cystic fibrosis nasal epithelium: a patch-clamp study.

Transepithelial Na+ absorption is increased two to three times in cystic fibrosis (CF) compared with normal (NL) airway epithelia. This increase has been associated with a higher Na+ permeability of the apical membrane of airway epithelial cells. Because Na+ absorption is electrogenic and abolished by amiloride, Na+ channels are thought to dominate the apical membrane Na+ permeability. Three Na+ channel-related mechanisms may explain the increase in apical Na+ permeability in CF cells: increased number of channels, increased single-channel conductance, and increased single-channel open probability. We compared the properties of Na(+)-permeable channels in the apical membrane of confluent preparations of human NL and CF nasal epithelial cells cultured on permeable supports. Na(+)-permeable channels were studied using the patch-clamp technique in the excised inside-out and cell-attached configurations. The same types of Na(+)-permeable channels were recorded in CF and NL cells. In excised patches, nonselective (Na+/K+) cation channels were recorded, and no differences between CF and NL were found in the properties, incidence, single-channel conductance, and single-channel open probability. In cell-attached patches, channels with a higher Na+ vs. K+ selectivity dominated. There was no difference between CF and NL cells in the incidence (18.8 vs. 21.4%, respectively) and conductance (17.2 +/- 2.8 vs. 21.4 +/- 1.5 pS, respectively) of Na(+)-permeable channels. However, the open probability was higher in CF cells compared with NL cells (30.0 +/- 3.4%, n = 6, vs. 15.0 +/- 3.9%, n = 13; P < 0.05). We conclude that, in CF nasal epithelial cells, the increase in Na+ permeability of the apical membrane results from an increase in the open probability of Na(+)-permeable channels in the apical membrane.

Absorption↗
PubMed1994

Hyperabsorption of Na+ and raised Ca(2+)-mediated Cl- secretion in nasal epithelia of CF mice.

We investigated the effect of homozygous genetic disruption of the murine cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene on regulation of the rates of Na+ absorption and Cl- secretion by nasal epithelia in cystic fibrosis (CF) mice. The basal in vivo nasal potential difference (PD; -28.8 +/- 1.8 mV, n = 10) and amiloride-sensitive PD (delta 13.8 +/- 1.0 mV, n = 10) were raised in CF mice compared with controls [-7.8 +/- 0.8 mV, n = 14 (basal); delta 4.5 +/- 0.7 mV, n = 14 (amiloride)], consistent with raised Na+ transport. In vitro studies of freshly excised nasal epithelia confirmed that CF epithelia exhibited a greater basal equivalent short-circuit current (Ieq; 63.5 +/- 12 microA/cm2, n = 15) vs. control (30.2 +/- 7.2 microA/cm2, n = 16) and amiloride-sensitive Ieq (delta 46.2 +/- 12.5 microA/cm2) vs. control (delta 11.3 +/- 4.5 microA/cm2). Tissue from normal mice failed to secrete Cl- in response to ionomycin (delta Ieq: -1.2 +/- 1.9 microA/cm2, n = 18), whereas CF murine tissue responded with a large rise in Ieq (delta 55.1 +/- 19.1 microA/cm2, n = 13). We conclude that CF murine nasal epithelia exhibit Na+ hyperabsorption, providing strong evidence for a regulatory link between CFTR and Na+ channel activity in airway epithelia. We speculate that upregulation of the Ca(2+)-mediated Cl- secretory pathway buffers the severity of airway disease in the CF mouse.

Amiloride↗
PubMed1994

Anomalies in ion transport in CF mouse tracheal epithelium.

The cystic fibrosis (CF) mouse trachea has become a model for gene transfer. To characterize ion transport properties of tracheal epithelium from normal and CF mice, tracheas were excised, mounted in Ussing chambers, and basal properties and responses to pharmacological agents and/or ion substitution protocols measured. No difference in basal short-circuit (Isc) was observed between normal (29.1 +/- 3.8 muA/cm2, n = 21) and CF (34.7 +/- 4.5 muA/cm2, n = 16) tracheas. The relative contribution of Na+ transport to basal Isc was small (30-40%). Ionomycin stimulated large increases in Isc in both normal and CF murine tracheas [change in Isc (delta Isc) with ionomycin: 30.5 +/- 8.8 muA/cm2, n = 11, normal; 27.3 +/- 6.7 muA/cm2, n = 6, CF]. Unexpectedly, forskolin increased Isc in both CF and normal amiloride-pretreated tracheas (delta Isc: 10.5 +/- 2.1 muA/cm2, n = 21, normal; 13 +/- 2.3 muA/cm2, n = 16, CF). Forskolin was observed to increase intracellular Ca2+ in both normal and CF tracheal cells, suggesting this as a mechanism to induce Cl- secretion. These similarities in ion transport, in part reflecting the dominance of Ca(2+)-regulated Cl- conductance, suggest that the murine trachea is not an ideal target for assessment of CF correction by gene transfer.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Multiple modes of regulation of airway epithelial chloride secretion by extracellular ATP.

Cultured normal and cystic fibrosis (CF) airway epithelia were exposed to 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)-adenosine (NECA), ATP, or ionomycin. NECA activated a sustained, 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS)-insensitive Cl- secretory response in normal but not CF, consistent with stimulation of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). In normal and CF, ionomycin or ATP induced Cl- secretion with an initial peak that was inhibited > 50% by DIDS, but in normals there was a prolonged current that was not inhibited by DIDS. The ATP and ionomycin responses in CF were of greater magnitude, and the prolonged phase was inhibited by DIDS. Although we expected ATP to regulate Cl- conductance through intracellular Ca2+ activity, ATP further stimulated Cl- secretion in tissues pretreated to maximally elevate intracellular Ca2+ activity. ATP also activated whole cell Cl- currents in cells dialyzed with 10 mM ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. Thus ATP and ionomycin regulate a Cl- conductance that is distinct from CFTR, but the regulation by ATP is not tightly coupled to intracellular Ca2+ activity. Alternatively, ATP regulates separate Ca(2+)-sensitive and Ca(2+)-insensitive Cl- conductances. Furthermore, extracellular ATP activates DIDS-resistant Cl- secretion in normal but not CF cultured epithelia, consistent with activation of CFTR by extracellular ATP.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗
PubMed1994

Tracheal vascular response to hypertonic and hypotonic solutions.

One of the major roles of the upper respiratory mucosa is to humidify inspired air. This function requires the coordinated activity of respiratory epithelium and mucosal vasculature. It has been difficult to study this relationship in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the effects of osmolarity on the vessel diameter of mucosal vessels via a specially constructed chamber that allows direct visualization of the rat trachea microvasculature. With use of an anesthetized and instrumented rat preparation, the luminal surface of the dorsal wall of the trachea was superfused with physiological solutions at 37 degrees C. The osmolarities were varied by removing or adding NaCl or mannitol (200, 290, and 500 mosM). The mucosal vessels dilated when the airway surface was superfused with hypertonic solutions and constricted when superfused with hypotonic solution. The largest changes occurred in the arterioles (51 +/- 5.6 microns diam), which constricted by 10 +/- 2.18 microns (P = 0.0001) when exposed to a 200 mosM solution and dilated by 11 +/- 1.55 microns (P = 0.0001) when exposed to a 500 mosM NaCl-enriched solution. Smaller changes of similar pattern were seen in venules. The changes in vessel diameter were readily reversible upon replacement of the hypo- or hypertonic solutions by an isotonic solution. We conclude that increase or decrease of solution osmolarity on the epithelial surface of the trachea can regulate diameter of mucosal blood vessels.

Animals↗