Synthesizing proteins to discover cystic fibrosis treatment

Molecules and monkey wrenches aren't that different, according to Russell Viirre. A chemistry professor, Viirre's research may lead to a new drug to treat cystic fibrosis (CF). But when it comes to his work, he compares himself to a mechanic.

"Most drugs turn off functions of proteins in the body. It's like throwing a monkey wrench at an engine − it will stop running," Viirre explains. Researchers have discovered possible drugs for CF that do the opposite; they act like a wrench that lands in just the right spot, jumpstarting a broken engine. Viirre is studying where that wrench lands and how it prompts an engine to roar to life.

Mucous membranes such as the lungs require a moist environment. A specific protein regulates the moisture content in mucus. People with CF have a defective protein, which results in thick mucus and difficult breathing. Also, because they cannot clear out bacteria-harbouring mucus, patients are prone to infections. As a result, many people with this incurable disease don't live beyond their 30s.

Viirre is part of a groundbreaking collaborative research project at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, with funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. In his Ryerson lab, Viirre synthesizes new prospective drugs. At her lab, SickKids researcher Christine Bear tests the drugs for their ability to be the "wrench" that rescues the protein's ability to regulate moisture.

"With every new test result, we learn a little bit more about what is wrong with this protein, and how to fix it," he says. Viirre is hopeful that this research will lead to powerful drugs for the treatment of CF. And along the way, he gives credit where it’s due. "My collaboration with SickKids is vital. Few labs in the world have the expertise the Bear lab has in handling this protein.

Provided by Ryerson University