Cysteinyl-leukotrienes in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cell hyperplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To present a historic perspective and an up-to-date understanding of the involvement of cysteinyl-leukotrienes (cys-LTs) in asthmatic airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell hyperplasia.


METHODS
Data collected from human tissues, from animal models of airway inflammation, and from ASM cells cultured in vitro are included.


METHODS
All studies regarding the potential contribution of cys-LTs on ASM cell hyperplasia are reviewed.


RESULTS
Whereas in vivo observations are consistent and seem to attribute an important role for cys-LTs in ASM cell hyperplasia, the observations made in cultured ASM cells are inconsistent, with studies documenting a mitogenic potential only reporting marginal effects.


CONCLUSIONS
This dichotomy between in vitro and in vivo results led to the elaboration of a hypothesis suggesting that the mitogenic effect of cys-LTs on ASM cells may be indirect and mediated by a paracrine loop involving transforming growth factor beta1 production by airway resident and inflammatory cells.
Bossé
Ynuk
Y
The James Hogg iCAPTURE Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research, Providence Health Care/St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ybosse@mrl.ubc.ca
Stankova
Jana
J
Rola-Pleszczynski
Marek
M
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003545:Cysteine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D018077:Receptors, Leukotriene / Q000276:immunology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D015289:Leukotrienes; D018077:Receptors, Leukotriene; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C112381:cysteinyl-leukotriene; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D003545:Cysteine; C083169:leukotriene D4 receptor