Calcilytics may help asthmatics breathe easier
Calcium may help to build strong bones. However, Yarova et al. now show that extracellular calcium may contribute to inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in allergic asthma. They show that elevated extracellular calcium can activate airway smooth muscle cells through the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR). Asthmatic patients express higher levels of CaSR in their airways than do healthy individuals, as does a mouse model of allergic asthma. Indeed, extracellular calcium and other asthma-associated activators of CaSR increased airway hyperreactivity. What’s more, calcilytics—CaSR antagonists—can prevent these effects both in vitro and in vivo, supporting clinical testing of these drugs for asthmatics.
- Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science
