Biochemical interaction between effects of beclomethasone dipropionate and salbutamol or formoterol in sputum cells from mild to moderate asthmatics.
BACKGROUND
Several in vitro studies demonstrate that corticosteroids and long-acting beta(2) agonists may have a complementary and synergistic mode of action on the inflammatory processes in asthma.


METHODS
Sputum was induced in 20 mild to moderate asthmatic patients and the induced sputum cells (ISC) were cultured with beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) 10(-7) M, salbutamol 10(-8) M and formoterol 10(-8) M either alone or in combination, BDP plus salbutamol and BDP plus formoterol, for 24 h. We measured the levels of growth macrophages-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), released on activation normal T cells expressed and activated (RANTES) and interleukin-8 (IL-8), in the supernatant of stimulated cells by ELISA. Furthermore, we assessed nuclear translocation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the expression of beta(2) receptor in ISC by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR, respectively.


RESULTS
The release of GM-CSF, RANTES and IL-8 in ISC was significantly reduced by BDP plus salbutamol or formoterol as compared with either drug alone (P < 0.0001). beta(2) receptor expression was increased after 30 min of incubation with BDP and continued to increase over a time period of 4 h (P < 0.0001). Furthermore after 30 min of incubation, nuclear translocation of GR was greater with BDP plus salbutamol or formoterol than with any of the drugs alone (P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The present ex vivo study demonstrates a complementary mode of action between BDP and salbutamol or formoterol leading to an enhanced anti-inflammatory activity.
Profita
M
M
Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, Italian National Research Council, Palermo, Italy.
Gagliardo
R
R
Di Giorgi
R
R
Pompeo
F
F
Gjomarkaj
M
M
Nicolini
G
G
Bousquet
J
J
Vignola
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000420:Albuterol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000378:metabolism; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D004983:Ethanolamines; D016209:Interleukin-8; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D001507:Beclomethasone; D000420:Albuterol; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate