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Updated: Jul 25, 2026

In vitro Measurements of Tracheal Constriction Using Mice
Published on: June 25, 2012
beta-Hexosaminidases: potent mitogens of airway smooth muscle
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee, USA.
Abstract:
beta-Hexosaminidases A & B, inflammatory marker enzymes, are mannosyl-rich glycoproteins that are implicated in acute asthma. At physiologically and pathologically relevant concentrations (nM), beta-Hexosaminidases act as potent mitogens of bovine airway smooth muscle cells. This mitogenic action is mediated via 175 kD mannose recognizing receptors that have been isolated from bovine airway smooth muscle cells and human bronchial smooth muscle. There seems to be an involvement of multiple signal transduction pathways in this process and this mitogenic effect is cell density dependent. Moreover, beta-Hexosaminidases are protease resistant. Thus, beta-Hexosaminidases may serve as key inflammatory mediators critical to airway remodeling process.
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