Absorption of digoxin in children with cystic fibrosis

Inflammation in the COVID-19 airway is due to inhibition of CFTR signaling by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

SARS-CoV-2-contributes to sickness and death in COVID-19 patients partly by inducing a hyper-proinflammatory immune response in the host airway. This hyper-proinflammatory state involves activation of signaling by NFκB, and unexpectedly, ENaC, the epithelial sodium channel. Post-infection inflammation may also contribute to "Long COVID"/PASC. Enhanced signaling by NFκB and ENaC also marks the airway of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis, a life-limiting proinflammatory genetic disease due to inactivating mutations in the CFTR gene. We therefore hypothesized that inflammation in the COVID-19 airway might similarly be due to inhibition of CFTR signaling by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and therefore activation of both NFκB and ENaC signaling. We used western blot and electrophysiological techniques, and an organoid model of normal airway epithelia, differentiated on an air-liquid-interface (ALI). We found that CFTR protein expression and CFTR cAMP-activated chloride channel activity were lost when the model epithelium was exposed to SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins. As hypothesized, the absence of CFTR led to activation of both TNFα/NFκB signaling and α and γ ENaC. We had previously shown that the cardiac glycoside drugs digoxin, digitoxin and ouabain blocked interaction of spike protein and ACE2. Consistently, addition of 30 nM concentrations of the cardiac glycoside drugs, prevented loss of both CFTR protein and CFTR channel activity. ACE2 and CFTR were found to co-immunoprecipitate in both basal cells and differentiated epithelia. Thus spike-dependent CFTR loss might involve ACE2 as a bridge between Spike and CFTR. In addition, spike exposure to the epithelia resulted in failure of endosomal recycling to return CFTR to the plasma membrane. Thus, failure of CFTR recovery from endosomal recycling might be a mechanism for spike-dependent loss of CFTR. Finally, we found that authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus infection induced loss of CFTR protein, which was rescued by the cardiac glycoside drugs digitoxin and ouabain. Based on experiments with this organoid model of small airway epithelia, and comparisons with 16HBE14o- and other cell types expressing normal CFTR, we predict that inflammation in the COVID-19 airway may be mediated by inhibition of CFTR signaling by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, thus inducing a cystic fibrosis-like clinical phenotype. To our knowledge this is the first time COVID-19 airway inflammation has been experimentally traced in normal subjects to a contribution from SARS-CoV-2 spike-dependent inhibition of CFTR signaling.

Common cardiac medications potently inhibit ACE2 binding to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike, and block virus penetration and infectivity in human lung cells

To initiate SARS-CoV-2 infection, the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) on the viral spike protein must first bind to the host receptor ACE2 protein on pulmonary and other ACE2-expressing cells. We hypothesized that cardiac glycoside drugs might block the binding reaction between ACE2 and the Spike (S) protein, and thus block viral penetration into target cells. To test this hypothesis we developed a biochemical assay for ACE2:Spike binding, and tested cardiac glycosides as inhibitors of binding. Here we report that ouabain, digitoxin, and digoxin, as well as sugar-free derivatives digitoxigenin and digoxigenin, are high-affinity competitive inhibitors of ACE2 binding to the Original [D614] S1 and the α/β/γ [D614G] S1 proteins. These drugs also inhibit ACE2 binding to the Original RBD, as well as to RBD proteins containing the β [E484K], Mink [Y453F] and α/β/γ [N501Y] mutations. As hypothesized, we also found that ouabain, digitoxin and digoxin blocked penetration by SARS-CoV-2 Spike-pseudotyped virus into human lung cells, and infectivity by native SARS-CoV-2. These data indicate that cardiac glycosides may block viral penetration into the target cell by first inhibiting ACE2:RBD binding. Clinical concentrations of ouabain and digitoxin are relatively safe for short term use for subjects with normal hearts. It has therefore not escaped our attention that these common cardiac medications could be deployed worldwide as inexpensive repurposed drugs for anti-COVID-19 therapy.

Clinical pharmacology of antibiotics and other drugs in cystic fibrosis

The disposition of many drugs in cystic fibrosis is abnormal. In general, changes in pharmacokinetics include: increased volume of distribution, decreased plasma concentration, and enhanced renal and sometimes non-renal elimination of drugs. Pathophysiology of the disease important for drug disposition includes: (a) hypersecretion of gastric acid and duodenal secretions which are of small volume, viscous and low in bicarbonate; (b) increased intestinal permeability to some sugars and probe substances; (c) hypergammaglobulinaemia and sometimes hypoalbuminaemia; (d) significant elevation of free fatty palmitoleic acid level and decreased low-density and high-density serum lipoproteins; (e) an average increase by 30 to 45% in plasma volume in patients with cystic fibrosis who have moderately severe pulmonary disease, right ventricle hypertrophy and dilatation, which occurs in 15 to 35% of patients with a Shwachman score of 81 to 100; (f) abnormal bile acid metabolism and enterohepatic recirculation; and (g) enlarged kidneys and glomerulomegaly with increased glomerular filtration rate, tubular clearance and urine flow rate in some patients with cystic fibrosis. Delayed absorption from the gastrointestinal tract has been reported in patients with cystic fibrosis for cloxacillin, epicillin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin and probably for cephalexin, para-aminobenzoic acid and chloramphenicol. A possible increased absorption was reported for cimetidine. Of 7 drugs studied only theophylline had significantly decreased plasma protein binding. An increased volume of distribution and increased renal clearance reported for several drugs is caused mainly by increases in plasma volume and urine flow rate in many of these patients. Possible increased elimination of some drugs in bile (which probably results from bile acid malabsorption) and in bronchial secretions (which are abundant in some cystic fibrosis patients with acute pulmonary infection) may explain enhanced non-renal elimination of these drugs. The metabolism of cimetidine in cystic fibrosis was reported not to be changed significantly compared to control subjects.

The effect of digoxin on exercise capacity and exercising cardiac function in cystic fibrosis

The ability of digoxin to increase exercise capacity and stroke volume (SV) during exercise was evaluated in ten patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) ages 12 to 20 years with moderate to severe degrees of airway obstruction but no history of heart failure. A double-blind crossover trial of digoxin versus placebo was carried out. An evaluation of exercise performance was undertaken upon entry into the study, and after each of the one-week periods in which digoxin 0.25 mg/day or placebo was taken. Exercise testing consisted of a progressive exercise test on a cycle ergometer to measure maximum work capacity (Wmax) and a steady state test at 2/3 of the baseline Wmax. During the steady state test, the oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were measured and cardiac output (Q) was calculated by the indirect Fick (CO2) method. From Q and heart rate (HR), SV was derived. After digoxin, Wmax was unchanged. On steady state exercise HR was unchanged, but there was a slight but significant fall in Q due to a fall in SV. The decrease in SV was associated with exercising hypoxemia. We conclude that digoxin did not increase exercise capacity or improve exercising cardiac function in patients with moderate to severe airway obstruction due to CF.