CF mutations, of which the most common is F508del-CFTR, prevents correct folding, trafficking and function of the mutant CFTR protein and is further manifested by the hyper-expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines into the airway lumen leading to bronchiectasis and culminating in lung destruction.
This was a series of randomized, crossover N-of-1 trials of ivacaftor and placebo in CF patients ≥8 years old with potential residual CFTR function (intermediate sweat chloride concentration, pancreatic sufficient, or mild bronchiectasis on chest CT).
The lack of CFTR or its impaired function causes fat malabsorption and chronic pulmonary infections leading to bronchiectasis and progressive lung damage.
New evidence suggests that CFTR dysfunction may play a role in other common airways diseases such as COPD, non-atopic asthma and non-CF bronchiectasis.
However, translation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) genotype into CF phenotype is influenced by nucleotide sequence variations at multiple genetic loci, and individuals heterozygous for CFTR mutations are predisposed to a range of CFTR-related conditions, such as disseminated bronchiectasis.
Recently, the role of the epithelial sodium channel ENaC has been pointed out in the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis, a disease due to mutations in the CFTR gene and causing bronchiectasis in the airways.
Comparison of clinical features of ACS showed that only a family history of chronic sinusitis (P <.01) or chronic bronchitis (P <.02) and the presence of diffuse bronchiectasis (P <.0001) or serous otitis media (P <.0001) were significantly more frequent in PCD patients than in patients carrying CFTR gene mutations or those without PCD or CFTR gene mutations.
Complex disease alleles and modifier genes are discussed along with alternative disorders, such as disseminated bronchiectasis and pancreatitis, which are also thought to result from CFTR mutations.
The identification of the cystic fibrosis gene and its product, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), has widened the spectrum of the disease from the classical case of the infant with cystic fibrosis to the elderly childless man with unexplained bronchiectasis.
CFTR gene mutations--including three novel nucleotide substitutions--and haplotype background in patients with asthma, disseminated bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Besides patients with atypical CF, there are large numbers of so-called monosymptomatic diseases such as various forms of obstructive azoospermia, idiopathic pancreatitis or disseminated bronchiectasis associated with CFTR mutations uncharacteristic for CF.
This study suggests a possible deleterious effect of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator mutated protein in the airways which may predispose to the development and severity of bronchiectasis in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
These results confirm the involvement of the CFTR gene in disseminated bronchiectasis of unknown origin, and suggest a possible role for CFTR gene mutations in sarcoidosis, and for the 5T allele in pulmonary emphysema.
Six DNA segments containing PFs were scanned for mutations by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) in patients with CF (n = 29), congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (n = 143), or disseminated bronchiectasis (n = 33), for whom only one or no mutations had been identified despite extensive DGGE analysis of the 27 CFTR exons and exon/intron boundaries.
In this search, different CFTR gene mutations (R75Q, delta F508, R1066C, M1137V and 3667ins4) were found in five out of 16 adult Italian patients with disseminated bronchiectasis, a significant increase over the expected frequency of carriers.