title: Effects of corticosteroids on structural cells in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: Structural cells such as airway smooth muscle, myofibroblasts, and fibroblasts play important roles in the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Although considerable research effort has focused on the effects of steroids on leukocyte function and airway inflammation, few studies have investigated the effects of steroids on structural cell function. There is evidence that structural cells, apart from maintaining the integrity of the bronchial wall, may also participate in airway inflammatory responses. New data suggest that steroids inhibit some but not all proliferative and migratory responses in structural cells. Further, in structural cells the downstream signaling effects altered by glucocorticoids appear to differ from those observed in leukocytes. Therapeutic approaches designed to modulate chemokine and cytokine secretion by structural cells may offer new opportunities to treat diseases characterized by airway obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Division, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 421 Curie Boulevard, BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6160, USA. rap@mail.med.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Reynold A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Panettieri
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D032446:Myoblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines