Regulation of airway inflammation and remodeling by muscarinic receptors: Perspectives on anticholinergic therapy in asthma and COPD

Acetylcholine is the primary parasympathetic neurotransmitter in the airways and an autocrine/paracrine secreted hormone from non-neuronal origins including inflammatory cells and airway structural cells. In addition to the well-known functions of acetylcholine in regulating bronchoconstriction and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Life sciences (1973) 2012-11, Vol.91 (21-22), p.1126-1133
Main Authors: Kistemaker, Loes E.M., Oenema, Tjitske A., Meurs, Herman, Gosens, Reinoud
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylcholine
Airway inflammation
Airway remodeling
Animals
Anticholinergics
Asthma
Asthma - drug therapy
Asthma - immunology
Asthma - metabolism
Asthma - pathology
bronchoconstriction
chemotaxis
COPD
Humans
inflammation
Inflammation - drug therapy
Inflammation - immunology
Inflammation - metabolism
Inflammation - pathology
mucus
Muscarinic Antagonists - pharmacology
Muscarinic Antagonists - therapeutic use
Non-neuronal
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - drug therapy
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - immunology
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - metabolism
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - pathology
receptors
Receptors, Muscarinic - immunology
Receptors, Muscarinic - metabolism
Respiratory System - drug effects
Respiratory System - immunology
Respiratory System - metabolism
Respiratory System - pathology
secretion
therapeutics
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Summary:Acetylcholine is the primary parasympathetic neurotransmitter in the airways and an autocrine/paracrine secreted hormone from non-neuronal origins including inflammatory cells and airway structural cells. In addition to the well-known functions of acetylcholine in regulating bronchoconstriction and mucus secretion, it is increasingly evident that acetylcholine regulates inflammatory cell chemotaxis and activation, and also participates in signaling events leading to chronic airway wall remodeling that is associated with chronic obstructive airway diseases including asthma and COPD. As muscarinic receptors appear responsible for most of the pro-inflammatory and remodeling effects of acetylcholine, these findings have significant implications for anticholinergic therapy in asthma and COPD, which is selective for muscarinic receptors. Here, the regulatory role of acetylcholine in inflammation and remodeling in asthma and COPD will be discussed including the perspectives that these findings offer for anticholinergic therapy in these diseases.
ISSN:0024-3205
1879-0631
DOI:10.1016/j.lfs.2012.02.021