Lecture 3: Pharmacology of Asthma Flashcards
What is the major site of action for B2 adrenoreceptor agonists?
Bronchial smooth muscle
What are the beta 2 adrenorecpeptor agonists?
- Salbutamol
- Salmeterol
- Formoterol
What do the beta 2 adrenoreceptor agonists do?
Relax smooth muscles - bronchodilataion, so improve airflow into the lungs
How do beta adrenoreceptor agonists cause bronchodilation?
- Inhibit MLCK to inhibit contraction
- Phophorlyates and switches off the receptor for IP3 - less calcium avaialble for contraction
- promotes caclium efflux to inhibit contraction - increased by protein kinase A
- Inhibit proliferation to reduce airway remodelling
How is airway cell proliferation inhibited?
MAP kinase pathway is able to mediate the proliferation and the growth of airway smooth muscle. PKA is able to inactivate RAF 1 kinase and can reduce activity of MAP kinase - this should reduce contratilility of airways over time.
What is the function of IP3?
Interacts with IP(1,4,5)P3 receptor in the sarocopplasmic reticulum to mobilise calcium
How do the beta adrenoreceptor agonists work?
- Activate protein Gs
- Gs promotes the stimulation of adenylyl cyclase
- This enzyme catalyses the formation of cyclic AMP
- cAMP activates protein kinase A which can
target different proteins and cause bronchodilation.
What does protein kinase A do in mast cells?
Phosphorylate components that provide an anti inflammatory action - they inhibit the release of inflammatory mediators.
What does protein kinase A do in bronchial smooth muscle?
Protein kinase A phosphorylates and inactivates myosin light chain - the enzyme responsible for contraction so bronchodilation and imprpved airflow into the lung
what are the two types of beta 2 adrenoreceptor agonists?
- Long acting
- Short acting
Why is the structure of salmeterol a long acting beta adrenoreceptor?
Have lipophillic groups attatched which interact with exo-sites on the receptor - this locks the ligand onto the receptor binding site
What groups does salmeterol have?
Aryalkyl group
How does salmeterol differ from salbutamol?
Same structure as salbutamol with added arylalkyl groups - 11 amino acids long
What is the structure of salbutamol similar to?
Adrenaline - which is non selective so salbutamol is an improvement of adrenaline
What are the groups in salbutamol?
Tertiary butyl group - improves selectivity making it selective for beta 2 receptors
What is more potent? (Salmeterol or salbutamol)
Salmeterol
What is the action time of salmeterol?
12 hours
What is the action time of salbutamol?
4 hours
what are the other actions of beta 2 adrenorecptor agonists?
- Cholinergic transmission
- Inhibition of inflammatory mediation release
- Vascular permeability
- Mucociliary clearance
What is cholinergic transmission?
This involves the inhibition of cholinergic acetylecholine release from parasympathetic nerves, so inhibits bronchoconstriction
What are the effects of beta 2 adrenoreceptors on inflammatory mediators?
Cause inhibition of inflammatory mediator release from T cells and mast cells.Causes mast cell stabilisation, lymphocute activation. This results in reductions in plasma histamine, PAF, chemotactic factors, i.e IL-1 and eosinophil cationic protein.
What are the anti-inflammatory effects of beta 2 adrenoreceptor activation?
- Decrease neuropeptide release from sensory nerves
- Decrease cytokine release from T lymphocytes
- Decrease mediator release from eosinophils, neutrophil, epithelial cells
- Reduce the amount of fluid that comes out of capillaries in airway tissue
But theres a low expression of beta 2 receptors on these cells so dont get a big stimulation
What is desensitisation?
Loss in response to the agonist over time
What is the major problem with beta 2 adrenorecptors?
Relatively short action
What causes desensitisation?
- Phosphorylation of the occupied receptor by a specific receptor kinase - B-adrenoceptor kinase
- Internalistaion of the receptor
- Phosphorylation of the occupied receptor by protein kinase A eg. Negative feedback
How does salmeterol have less desesitisation?
- Its a partial agonist so doesnt stimulate the receptor as much as adrenaline
- Less internalisation of the beta 2 adrenoreptor
- Less phosphorylation of the receptor by beta arenoreceptor kinase
What are the routes of administration for beta 2 adrenoreceptor agonists?
- Inhaled
- Oral
- Intravenous and intramuscular
Describe the inhaled route?
- A metered dose inhaler is commonly used
- Only 10% of the drug enters the lung
- For people who cannot use metered inhalers, others include nebulisers and dry powder inhalers.
Describe Intravenous and intramuscular route
- Necessary for acute asthma (risk of death).
- Given as a drip or as a bolus injection.
- Most commonly used with terbutaline.
What are the systemic delivery issues with B2 adrenoreceptor agonists?
- Elicit vasodilation relaxation of vascular smooth muscle
- Increased blood flow and a fall in blood pressure - reflex increased tachycardia and cardiac output
- Increased metabolic processes, including increased glucose, fatty acids, ketone bodies and high-density lipoprotein.
- Increase in tremor in skeletal muscle – associated with a relaxation of slow contracting skeletal muscle
What steroid drugs are used for asthma treatment?
Glucocorticoids
What do glucocorticoids do in asthma?
Dampen down many aspects of the inflammation linked with asthma
Name steroids used by inhalation for asthma
- Beclamtasone
- Budesonide
- Fluticasone
What is the standard oral steroid?
Prednisolone for more severe asthma