TMEM16A inhibitors reveal TMEM16A as a minor component of calcium-activated chloride channel conductance in airway and intestinal epithelial cells.

Abstract

TMEM16A (ANO1) functions as a calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC). We developed pharmacological tools to investigate the contribution of TMEM16A to CaCC conductance in human airway and intestinal epithelial cells. A screen of ∼110,000 compounds revealed four novel chemical classes of small molecule TMEM16A inhibitors that fully blocked TMEM16A chloride current with an IC(50) < 10 μM, without interfering with calcium signaling. Following structure-activity analysis, the most potent inhibitor, an aminophenylthiazole (T16A(inh)-A01), had an IC(50) of ∼1 μM. Two distinct types of inhibitors were identified. Some compounds, such as tannic acid and the arylaminothiophene CaCC(inh)-A01, fully inhibited CaCC current in human bronchial and intestinal cells. Other compounds, including T16A(inh)-A01 and digallic acid, inhibited total CaCC current in these cells poorly, but blocked mainly an initial, agonist-stimulated transient chloride current. TMEM16A RNAi knockdown also inhibited mainly the transient chloride current. In contrast to the airway and intestinal cells, all TMEM16A inhibitors fully blocked CaCC current in salivary gland cells. We conclude that TMEM16A carries nearly all CaCC current in salivary gland epithelium, but is a minor contributor to total CaCC current in airway and intestinal epithelia. The small molecule inhibitors identified here permit pharmacological dissection of TMEM16A/CaCC function and are potential development candidates for drug therapy of hypertension, pain, diarrhea, and excessive mucus production.

• Authors: Wan Namkung, Puay-Wah Phuan, A S Verkman
• Journal: The Journal of biological chemistry (J Biol Chem) Vol. 286 Issue 3 Pg. 2365-74 (Jan 21 2011) ISSN: 1083-351X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21084298 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• ANO1 protein, human
• Anoctamin-1
• Chloride Channels
• Chlorides
• Membrane Proteins
• Membrane Transport Modulators
• Neoplasm Proteins

Topics

• Anoctamin-1
• Cell Line
• Chloride Channels (metabolism)
• Chlorides (metabolism)
• Diarrhea (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Drug Evaluation, Preclinical (methods)
• Epithelial Cells (metabolism)
• Humans
• Hypertension (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Intestinal Mucosa (metabolism)
• Ion Transport (drug effects)
• Membrane Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Membrane Transport Modulators (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Neoplasm Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Pain (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Respiratory Mucosa (metabolism)
• Salivary Glands (metabolism)