Cyclic amp-independent regulation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator by the actin cytoskeleton. Prat, Adriana G., Yong-Fu Xiao, Dennis A. Ausiello, and Horacio F. Cantiello. Renal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital East, Charlestown, MA 02129, and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
APStracts 2:0133C, 1995.
Protein kinase A (PKA)-activation of epithelial Na+ channels requires actin filaments. Mouse mammary adenocarcinoma cells expressing the human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) or mock transfectants were used to determine whether CFTR is also modulated by the actin cytoskeleton. The actin filament disrupter cytochalasin D (CD, 5 [mu]g/ml) readily activated whole-cell currents in CFTR but not MOCK cells. Addition of actin to the cytosolic side of quiescent excised inside-out patches of CFTR but not MOCK cells also activated CFTR. The actin-activated Cl- channels (symmetrical Cl-) had a linear conductance of 9.3 pS, and were inhibited by DPC and monoclonal antibodies raised against CFTR. Channel activity was also blocked by addition of the actin-binding proteins DNAse I and filamin. Incubation of CFTR cells with CD (15 [mu]g/ml) for >6 hours prevented CFTR activation by the addition of either 8-Br-cAMP plus forskolin under whole-cell conditions, or PKA under excised inside-out conditions. However, CFTR activation was restored by subsequent addition of actin. The data indicate that CFTR is regulated by actin filaments whose effect may, in turn, be associated with the PKA-dependent pathway.

Received 2 December 1994; accepted in final form 27 February
1995.
APS Manuscript Number C704-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Cell Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 21 March 1995.