Comparison of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response of lymphocytes in normal and asthmatic subjects to norepinephrine and salbutamol

Abstract Reduced response of beta adrenergic receptors, especially beta-2 receptors, has been suggested as a contributing factor in the etiology of asthma. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) production in lymphocytes after exposure to 10 −3 M salbutamol, predominantly a beta-2 receptor stimulant, was significantly less in asthmatic subjects than in normal subjects, while there was no significant difference in cyclic AMP response to 10 −3 M norepinephrine, predominantly a beta-I receptor stimulant. Both drugs evoked the maximum response at 10 −3 M. The cyclic AMP response to salbutamol of 5 asthmatic subjects being treated with steroids was diminished significantly compared with that of 7 patients not treated with steroids; however, the response to norepinephrine was similar in both groups. The degree of the abnormality in the beta-2 receptor response seems to be related to the severity of the asthma.