Increased circulating levels of plasma ATP in cystic fibrosis patients

Recent studies have shown that the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), an ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter whose mutations are responsible for cystic fibrosis (CF), permeates ATP. However, little information is available concerning extracellular ATP concentrations in CF patients. Thus, the goal of this preliminary study was to determine the circulating levels of plasma ATP in CF patients. Circulating levels of plasma ATP were determined by the luciferin‐luciferase assay in both CF patients and healthy volunteer control subjects. The two groups were compared using an analysis of variance. CF genotype and age, which ranged from 7 to 56 years, were also used to compare data by single‐blind analysis. With comparable sample numbers, CF patients had statistically higher levels of circulating ATP (34%, P