Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Decreases β2-Agonist–induced Relaxation in Human Airway Smooth Muscle

What is it about?

β2-agonist bronchodilators are a mainstay therapeutic used for acute and long-term control of asthma exacerbations. Unfortunately, about 50% of asthmatics have inadequate control with current therapeutics, creating an urgent need to determine alternate targets to relax airway tone. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that TGF-β1 - a cytokine elevated in the airways of patients with asthma - impairs β2-agonist-induced relaxation responses in human airway smooth muscle cells. These results suggest that targeting TGF-β1 may lead to beneficial outcomes for treatment-resistant asthma.

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