Bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) of the tongue likely evolved to evoke signals for avoiding ingestion of plant toxins. We found expression of TAS2Rs on human airway smooth muscle (ASM) and considered these to be avoidance receptors for inhalants, leading to ASM contraction and bronchospasm. TAS2R agonists such as saccharin, chloroquine and denatonium evoked increased ASM [Ca2+]i in a Gβγ, PLCβ and IP3-receptor dependent manner which would be expected (like acetylcholine) to evoke contraction. Paradoxically, bitter tastants caused relaxation of isolated ASM, and dilation of airways that was 3-fold greater than β-agonists. Relaxation by TAS2Rs is from a localized [Ca2+]i response at the cell membrane which opens BKCa channels leading to ASM membrane hyperpolarization. Inhaled bitter tastants decreased airway obstruction in an asthma mouse model. Given the need for efficacious bronchodilators for treating obstructive lung diseases, this pathway can be exploited for therapy with the thousands of known synthetic and naturally occurring bitter tastants.

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The limiting component within the receptor-G protein-effector complex in airway smooth muscle (ASM) for β(2)-adrenergic receptor (β(2)-AR)-mediated relaxation is unknown. In cardiomyocytes, adenylyl cyclase (AC) is considered the "bottleneck" for β-AR signaling, and gene therapy trials are underway to increase inotropy by increasing cardiac AC expression. We hypothesized that increasing AC in ASM would increase relaxation from β-agonists, thereby providing a strategy for asthma therapy. Transgenic (TG) mice were generated with approximately two- to threefold overexpression of type 5 AC (AC5) in ASM. cAMP and airway relaxation in response to direct activation of AC by forskolin were increased in AC5-TG. Counter to our hypothesis, isoproterenol-mediated airway relaxation was significantly attenuated (∼50%) in AC5-TG, as was cAMP production, suggesting compensatory regulatory events limiting β(2)-AR signaling when AC expression is increased. In contrast, acetylcholine-mediated contraction was preserved. G(αi) expression and ERK1/2 activation were markedly increased in AC5-TG (5- and 8-fold, respectively), and β-AR expression was decreased by ∼40%. Other G proteins, G protein-coupled receptor kinases, and β-arrestins were unaffected. β-agonist-mediated airway relaxation of AC5-TG was normalized to that of nontransgenic mice by pertussis toxin, implicating β(2)-AR coupling to the increased G(i) as a mechanism of depressed agonist-promoted relaxation in these mice. The decrease in β(2)-AR may account for additional relaxation impairment, given that there is no enhancement over nontransgenic after pertussis toxin, despite AC5 overexpression. ERK1/2 inhibition had no effect on the phenotype. Thus perturbing the ratio of β(2)-AR to AC in ASM by increasing AC fails to improve (and actually decreases) β-agonist efficacy due to counterregulatory events.

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Metastasis to the heart has been previously described with primary lung and breast carcinoma, lymphoma, leukaemia, mesothelioma and melanoma. However, left-ventricular cardiac metastasis from primary cervical squamous cell carcinoma is poorly described. This report describes the clinical presentation of a patient with cardiac metastatic invasion from cervical cancer.