Structure-activity relationship of 1,4-dihydropyridines as potentiators of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channel

Mutations occurring in the CFTR gene, encoding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channel, cause cystic fibrosis (CF). Mutations belonging to class II, such as Delta Phe508, give rise to a protein with both a defective maturation and altered channel gating. Mutations belonging to class III, such as G551D and G1349D, cause only a gating defect. We have previously identified antihypertensive 1,4-dihydropyridines (DHPs), a class of drugs that block voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, as effective potentiators of CFTR gating, able to correct the defective activity of CFTR mutants (Mol Pharmacol 68: 1736-1746, 2005). However, optimization of potency for CFTR versus Ca2+ channels is required to design selective compounds for CFTR pharmacotherapy. In the present study, we have established DHP structure-activity relationship for both CFTR potentiation and Ca2+ channel inhibition using cell-based assays for both types of channels. A panel of 333 felodipine analogs was studied to understand the effect of various substitutions and modifications in the DHP scaffold. Our results show that alkyl substitutions at the para position of the 4-phenyl ring lead to compounds with very low activity on Ca2+ channels and strong effect as potentiators on the Delta Phe508, G551D, and G1349D CFTR mutants.