title: CFTR targeting in epithelial cells.
abstract: We used polarized and nonpolarized colonic cell lines (HT-29) to correlate CFTR function and expression with epithelial cell morphogenesis. Unpolarized cells express levels of CFTR mRNA and protein that are equivalent to those observed in polarized cells, and the extent of CFTR glycosylation is also similar. Despite these similarities in CFTR expression, the polarized cells secreted Cl in response to cAMP, but there was no cAMP-stimulated Cl conductance response in the unpolarized cells. In the polarized cells, CFTR is localized in the apical membrane domain, but in unpolarized cells the protein is retained at a perinuclear location. These findings indicate that a peripheral targeting mechanism, distal to the Golgi cisternae, controls the progression of N-linked glycoproteins like CFTR to the apical membrane. This targeting process does not become active until epithelial cells polarize. It may determine whether mutant forms of CFTR are targeted to the apical membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Gregory Fleming James Cystic Fibrosis Research Center, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294-0005.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Frizzell
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C505032:CFTR protein, human; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator