title: Drugs Affecting TRP Channels.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are both common respiratory diseases that are associated with airflow reduction/obstruction and pulmonary inflammation. Whilst drug therapies offer adequate symptom control for many mild to moderate asthmatic patients, severe asthmatics and COPD patients symptoms are often not controlled, and in these cases, irreversible structural damage occurs with disease progression over time. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, in particular TRPV1, TRPA1, TRPV4 and TRPM8, have been implicated with roles in the regulation of inflammation and autonomic nervous control of the lungs. Evidence suggests that inflammation elevates levels of activators and sensitisers of TRP channels and additionally that TRP channel expression may be increased, resulting in excessive channel activation. The enhanced activity of these channels is thought to then play a key role in the propagation and maintenance of the inflammatory disease state and neuronal symptoms such as bronchoconstriction and cough. For TRPM8 the evidence is less clear, but as with TRPV1, TRPA1 and TRPV4, antagonists are being developed by multiple companies for indications including asthma and COPD, which will help in elucidating their role in respiratory disease.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Pharmacology Group, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wortley
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Pharmacology Group, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birrell
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Pharmacology Group, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK. m.belvisi@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Belvisi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D050053:TRPM Cation Channels; C425966:TRPM8 protein, human; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C494484:TRPV1 receptor; C416986:TRPV4 protein, human; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels
keywords: Asthma; Cough; TRPA1; TRPM8; TRPV1; TRPV4; ‘Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease’ (COPD); ‘Transient receptor potential’ (TRP)