Brian J. Knoll

Office: 
University of Houston College of Pharmacy
Health 2, Room 6007D
4349 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Houston, TX 77204-5037

Contact: bknoll@uh.edu - Office: 713-743-1299 - Fax: 713-743-1884

Research:

Effective asthma therapy relies on β-agonist drugs that activate β2-adrenoceptors (β2ARs) on the surfaces of cells in airway smooth muscle and epithelium. β-agonist drugs are effective in acting upon airway smooth muscle to cause bronchodilation, thereby relieving some asthma symptoms, however, these drugs also act upon airway epithelium to promote inflammation by secreting cytokines. We explore the mechanisms by which β2AR signaling in airway epithelium causes this proinflammatory effect. We use primary human airway epithelial cells in culture, treated pharmacologically and genetically, to modify signal transducing components downstream of the β2AR. These studies may lead to the development of new therapeutics designed to reduce airway inflammation by modifying β2AR signaling in airway epithelium.