Too much of a good thing: adenosine overload in adenosine-deaminase-deficient mice.
Chronic lung diseases are associated with persistent lung inflammation and damage. The mechanisms that govern the chronic nature of these disorders are not known. Adenosine is a signaling nucleoside that is generated in hypoxic environments such as that found in the inflamed lung, which suggests that it might serve a regulatory role in chronic lung diseases. Support for this hypothesis comes from studies in adenosine-deaminase-deficient mice where lung adenosine levels accumulate in association with increased lung inflammation and damage. Furthermore, lowering adenosine levels or antagonizing adenosine receptors can reverse pulmonary phenotypes in this model, suggesting that chronic adenosine elevations can affect signaling pathways that mediate aspects of chronic lung disease.
Blackburn
Michael R
MR
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA. michael.r.blackburn@uth.tmc.edu
D000241:Adenosine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase; D000241:Adenosine