title: Effects of Aerosolized Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate in Smokers and Patients With COPD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) stimulates vagal C and Aδ fibers in the lung, resulting in pronounced bronchoconstriction and cough mediated by P2X2/3 receptors located on vagal sensory nerve terminals. We investigated the effects of nebulized ATP on cough and symptoms in control subjects, healthy smokers, and patients with COPD and compared these responses to the effects of inhaled adenosine, the metabolite of ATP.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the effects of inhaled ATP and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) on airway caliber, perception of dyspnea assessed by the Borg score, cough sensitivity, and ATP in exhaled breath condensate in healthy nonsmokers (n = 10), healthy smokers (n = 14), and patients with COPD (n = 7).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with healthy subjects, ATP induced more dyspnea, cough, and throat irritation in smokers and patients with COPD, and the effects of ATP were more pronounced than those of AMP. The concentration of ATP in the exhaled breath condensate of patients with COPD was elevated compared with that of healthy subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smokers and patients with COPD manifest hypersensitivity to extracellular ATP, which may play a mechanistic role in COPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases (Dr Basoglu), Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozen K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Basoglu
authors.affiliation: Airway Disease Section (Drs Barnes and Kharitonov), National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, England.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Dr Pelleg), Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Sergei A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kharitonov
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Dr Pelleg), Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address: apelleg@drexelmed.edu.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelleg
mesh_terms: D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003371:Cough / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate