A High-affinity Activator of G551D-CFTR Chloride Channel Identified By High Throughput Screening

A stably transfected CHO cell line coexpressing G551D-CFTR and iodide-sensitive yellow fluorescent protein mutant EYFP-H148Q-I152L was successfully established and used as assay model to identify small-molecule activators of G551D-CFTR chloride channel from 100000 diverse combinatorial compounds by high throughput screening on a customized Beckman robotic system. A bicyclooctane compound was identified to activate G551D-CFTR chloride channel with high-affinity(Kd=1.8 μmol/L). The activity of the bicyclooctane compound is G551D-CFTR-specific, reversible and non-toxic. The G551D-CFTR activator may be useful as a tool to study the mutant G551D-CFTR chloride channel structure and transport properties and as a candidate drug to cure cystic fibrosis caused by G551D-CFTR mutation.