MODULATION OF EXTRACELLULAR PH IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS CELLS BY EGFR

MASSIP COPIZ MARÍA M.; VALDIVIESO, ÁNGEL G.;; ASENSIO, CRISTIAN; SANTA COLOMA TOMAS A.

Congreso; LXVI REUNIÓN ANUAL DE LA SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE INVESTIGACIÓN CLÍNICA (SAIC); 2021

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease caused by mutations inthe CFTR (CF transmembrane conductance regulator) gene. It isprincipally characterized by chronic infections and persistent inflammationin lungs. One of the hypotheses that tried to explain the increasedsusceptibility to lung infections is the reduction in the airwaysurface liquid (ASL) pH. The changes observed in the extracellularpH (pHe) could be a consequence of a reduced bicarbonate transportthrough CFTR and also an increase in lactic acid secretion.Considering that the EGFR pathway is affected in the CF phenotype,the aim of the present work was to determine if the EGFRpathway is involved in the extracellular pH regulation in CF cells.Two cellular models were used: IB3-1 cells (CF cells) and C38 cells(IB3-1 “corrected” cells). Together with the extracellular pH and lacticacid (lactate) secretion measurements, LDH expression and activitywere performed by RT-PCR, Western Blot, flow cytometry, confocalmicroscopy and spectrophotometric techniques. The results reporteda decrease in pH in the extracellular medium culture (p