Albuterol-induced downregulation of Gsα accounts for pulmonary β₂-adrenoceptor desensitization in vivo
J. Clin. Invest. Paul A. Finney, et al. 106:125 doi:10.1172/JCI8374 [Go to this article.]

Figure 2
Effect of chronic treatment of rats with albuterol (a–d) or PGE₂ (e and f) on lung function in anesthetized rats. Animals were given albuterol, PGE₂ (open bars; both 40 μg/kg/h) or vehicle (filled bars) for 7 days and then instrumented for the measurement of lung function. ACh (500 μg/kg intravenously) was administered and the maximum increase in overflow pressure was measured. When baseline lung function was reestablished, albuterol (Alb; 100 μg/kg; a and f), PGE₂ (PG; 300 μg/kg; b and e), forskolin (F; 300 μg/kg; c), or IBMX (300 μg/kg; d) was given intravenously, and 5 minutes later, ACh was administered again and any change in overflow pressure was noted. Each bar represents the mean ± SEM of four independent determinations. ^AP < 0.05, significant protection of ACh-induced bronchoconstriction.