Treating lung inflammation with agonists of the adenosine A2A receptor: promises, problems and potential solutions

Adenosine A2A receptor agonists may be important regulators of inflammation. Such conclusions have come from studies demonstrating that, (i) adenosine A2A agonists exhibit anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and in vivo, (ii) selective A2A antagonists enhance inflammation in vivo and, (iii) knock outs of this receptor aggravate inflammation in a wide variety of in vivo models. Inflammation is a hallmark of asthma and COPD and adenosine has long been suggested to be involved in disease pathology. Two recent publications, however, suggested that an inhaled adenosine A2A receptor agonist (GW328267X) did not affect either the early and late asthmatic response or symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis suggesting that the rationale for treating inflammation with an adenosine A2A receptor agonist may be incorrect. A barrier to fully investigating the role of adenosine A2A receptor agonists as anti-inflammatory agents in the lung is the side effect profile due to systemic exposure, even with inhalation. Unless strategies can be evolved to limit the systemic exposure of inhaled adenosine A2A receptor agonists, the promise of treating lung inflammation with such agents may never be fully explored. Using strategies similar to that devised to improve the therapeutic index of inhaled corticosteroids, UK371,104 was identified as a selective agonist of the adenosine A2A receptor that has a lung focus of pharmacological activity following delivery to the lung in a pre clinical in vivo model of lung function. Lung-focussed agents such as UK371,104 may be suitable for assessing the anti-inflammatory potential of inhaled adenosine A2A receptor agonists.