Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibits endocytic recycling of CFTR in polarized human airway epithelial cells

The most common mutation in the CFTR gene in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), Delta F508, leads to the absence of CFTR C1(-) channels in the apical plasma membrane, which in turn results in impairment of mucociliary clearance, the first line of defense against inhaled bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is particularly successful at colonizing and chronically infecting the lungs and is responsible for the majority of morbidity and mortality in patients with CF. Rescue of Delta F508-CFTR by reduced temperature or chemical means reveals that the protein is at least partially functional as a C1(-) channel. Thus current research efforts have focused on identification of drugs that restore the presence of CFTR in the apical membrane to alleviate the symptoms of CF. Because little is known about the effects of P. aeruginosa on CFTR in the apical membrane, whether P. aeruginosa will affect the efficacy of new drugs designed to restore the plasma membrane expression of CFTR is unknown. Accordingly, the objective of the present study was to determine whether P. aeruginosa affects CFTR-mediated C1(-) secretion in polarized human airway epithelial cells. We report herein that a cell-free filtrate of P. aeruginosa reduced CFTR-mediated transepithelial C1(-) secretion by inhibiting the endocytic recycling of CFTR and thus the number of WT-CFTR and Delta F508-CFTR C1(-) channels in the apical membrane in polarized human airway epithelial cells. These data suggest that chronic infection with P. aeruginosa may interfere with therapeutic strategies aimed at increasing the apical membrane expression of Delta F508-CFTR.