Significant advances in understanding the cell and molecular biology of inflammation and
airway smooth muscle (ASM) contractility have identified several potential novel targets for
therapies of asthma. New agents targeting G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) including
bitter taste receptors (TAS2R) agonists and prostaglandin EP4 receptor agonists elicit ASM
relaxation. The cAMP/PKA pathway continues to be a promising drug target with the
emergence of new PDE inhibitors and a novel PKA target protein, HSP20, which mediates …