A Phosphorylatable Sphingosine Analog Induces Airway Smooth Muscle Cytostasis and Reverses Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Experimental Asthma.

ABSTRACT: In asthma, excessive bronchial narrowing associated with thickening of the airway smooth muscle (ASM) causes respiratory distress. Numerous pharmacological agents prevent experimental airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) when delivered prophylactically. However, most fail to resolve this feature after disease is instated. Although sphingosine analogs are primarily perceived as immune modulators with the ability to prevent experimental asthma, they also influence processes associated with tissue atrophy, supporting the hypothesis that they could interfere with mechanisms sustaining pre-established AHR. We thus assessed the ability of a sphingosine analog (AAL-R) to reverse AHR in a chronic model of asthma. We dissected the pharmacological mechanism of this class of agents using the non-phosphor

SUBMITTER: Gendron DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5318459 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature