Molecular Pharmacology of the CFTR Cl- Channel

Dysfunction of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- channel is associated with a wide spectrum of disease. In the search for modulators of CFTR, pharmacological agents that interact directly with the CFTR Cl- channel have been identified. Some agents stimulate CFTR by interacting with the nucleotide-binding domains that control channel gating, whereas others inhibit CFTR by binding within the channel pore and preventing Cl- permeation. Knowledge of the molecular pharmacology of CFTR might lead to new treatments for diseases caused by the dysfunction of CFTR.