Ca(2+) homeostasis and structural and functional remodelling of airway smooth muscle in asthma

Asthma is characterised by airway hyper-responsiveness and remodelling, and there is mounting evidence that alterations in the phenotype of airway smooth muscle (ASM) play a central role in these processes. Although the concept that dysregulation of ASM Ca(2+) homeostasis may underlie at least part...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Thorax 2010-06, Vol.65 (6), p.547-552
Main Authors: Mahn, Katharina, Ojo, Oluwaseun O, Chadwick, Gianna, Aaronson, Philip I, Ward, Jeremy P T, Lee, Tak H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Airway Remodeling - physiology
Asthma - physiopathology
Calcium - metabolism
Cytokines - metabolism
Homeostasis - physiology
Humans
Muscle Contraction - physiology
Muscle, Smooth - physiopathology
Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases - physiology
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Summary:Asthma is characterised by airway hyper-responsiveness and remodelling, and there is mounting evidence that alterations in the phenotype of airway smooth muscle (ASM) play a central role in these processes. Although the concept that dysregulation of ASM Ca(2+) homeostasis may underlie at least part of these alterations has been around for many years, it is only relatively recently that the availability of ASM biopsies from subjects with mild and moderate asthma has allowed it to be properly investigated. In this article, critical components of the pathobiology of asthmatic ASM, including contractile function, proliferation, cell migration and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, are reviewed and related to associated changes in ASM Ca(2+) homeostasis. Based on this evidence, it is proposed that a unifying mechanism for the abnormal asthmatic phenotype is dysregulation of Ca(2+) homeostasis caused at least in part by a downregulation in expression and function of sarcoendoplasmic Ca(2+) ATPases (SERCAs).
ISSN:1468-3296
DOI:10.1136/thx.2009.129296