title: Emerging drug treatments for cystic fibrosis.
abstract: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common life-shortening inherited disorders. Mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene disrupt the localisation and function of the cAMP-mediated chloride channel. Most of the morbidity and mortality arise from the lung disease which is characterised by excessive inflammation and chronic infection. Research into the mechanisms of wild-type and mutant CFTR biogenesis suggest that multiple drug targets can be identified. This review explores the current understanding of the nature of the different mutant CFTR forms and the potential for repair of the chloride channel defect. High-throughput screening, pharmacogenomics and proteomics bring recent technological advances to the field.
authors.affiliation: Park 316, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21209, USA. pzeitlin@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Pamela L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zeitlin
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018388:Codon, Terminator; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / Q000235:genetics; D015195:Drug Design; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D017510:Protein Folding
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C505032:CFTR protein, human; D018118:Chloride Channels; D002712:Chlorides; D018388:Codon, Terminator; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator