title: Ageing, late-onset asthma and the beta-adrenoceptor.
abstract: Late-onset asthma in old age is a common clinical problem. There are similarities between receptor and post-receptor beta 2-adrenoceptor abnormalities reported in young asthmatics and in elderly normal subjects. Recent evidence lends some support to the idea of the 'aging' beta 2-adrenoceptor as a contributory factor in the development of late-onset asthma, although questions of the validity of the peripheral mononuclear cell model and of receptor tachyphylaxis to intrinsic and extrinsic beta-adrenoceptor agonists remain unresolved. Further work should focus on in vivo studies of airway receptor function and on beta 2-adrenoceptor-mediated pathways other than smooth muscle-related bronchoconstriction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Manchester, Robert Barnes Medical Unit, Barnes Hospital, Kingsway, Cheadle, Cheshire, U.K.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013618:Tachyphylaxis
chemical_list: D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins