[The role of substance P in regulating bronchomotor tone and the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperreactivity]

Substance P (SP) is localized in sensory nerves of the respiratory tract in close connection to the effector cells of inflammatory and allergic bronchial diseases. SP is proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma because of its ability to induce bronchoconstriction, vasodilatation and an edema of the mucous membrane and to enhance the secretion of tracheobronchial glands. Furthermore inflammatory and immune cells are influenced by SP. SP seems to have a complex action in the regulation of the bronchial tonus. Especially differences in the action of partial sequences of the peptide may be important in the pathogenesis of asthma.