Female sex hormones could work with beta-agonists for reducing airway constriction, as per a new bench research from the Mayo Clinic.

The findings are being presented at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.

From Sciencedaily.com:

“These novel data suggest that estradiol has bronchodilatory properties, and may potentiate beta-2-agonist effects,” said Ms. Townsend. “The finding that estrogens interact synergistically with beta-adrenoceptor signaling (perhaps using common pathways) to facilitate bronchodilation was exciting, and lends itself to further studies on interactions between sex steroids and beta-2-agonists.” But she and her team also cautioned that there is still considerable research necessary to fully understand the association between sex steroids and factors that contribute to asthma, before the information can be used clinically in patients to relieve asthma symptoms.

Sex steroids can play a role in modulating airway tone, as per lead student researcher, Elizabeth A. Townsend, of the Mayo Clinic Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, where she is completing her Ph.D.

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