Review Article

Cholinergic Regulation of Airway Inflammation and Remodelling

Figure 1

Muscarinic receptor regulation of airway inflammation and remodelling. In healthy airways, acetylcholine release from neuronal and nonneuronal origins release are limited. However, in response to environmental factors such as allergen or smoke, acetylcholine release is enhanced, which cooperates with proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors to induce airway smooth muscle and fibroblast cell responses including cell proliferation, smooth-muscle-specific protein expression, and the synthesis of chemokines and cytokines. As such, acetylcholine by acting on muscarinic receptors may contribute to both acute and chronic aspects of obstructive airways disease. Nicotinic receptors are expressed by airway structural cells and inhibit inflammatory cell activation; however, their role in regulating airway remodelling is largely unknown.
681258.fig.001