title: Biochemical basis of asthma therapy.
abstract: Current therapy for asthma is highly effective. β(2)-Adrenergic receptor (β(2)AR) agonists are the most effective bronchodilators and relax airway smooth muscle cells through increased cAMP concentrations and directly opening large conductance Ca(2+) channels. β(2)AR may also activate alternative signaling pathways that may have detrimental effects in asthma. Glucocorticoids are the most effective anti-inflammatory treatments and switch off multiple activated inflammatory genes through recruitment of histone deacetylase-2, activating anti-inflammatory genes, and through increasing mRNA stability of inflammatory genes. There are beneficial molecular interactions between β(2)AR and glucocorticoid-activated pathways. Understanding these signaling pathways may lead to even more effective therapies in the future.
authors.affiliation: National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London SW3 6LY, United Kingdom. p.j.barnes@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000378:metabolism; D013806:Theophylline / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D015289:Leukotrienes; D013806:Theophylline