Respiratory syncytial virus induces β2-adrenergic receptor dysfunction in human airway smooth muscle cells
Agonists of the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) are used as bronchodilators to relieve airway obstruction in patients with asthma. However, these drugs are much less effective in patients with airway obstruction caused by infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Harford et al . found that infection of human airway smooth muscle cells with RSV resulted in phosphorylation of the β2AR, its loss from the plasma membrane, and its proteasomal cleavage. Furthermore, RSV infection resulted in increased Ca2+ signaling in these cells, promoting their contractility in vitro. These results sugge...
Source: sciencemag.org