| IMPORTANCE
OF ALPHA ADRENORECEPTOR SUBTYPES IN BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTOPHY.
Dr JC McGrath and Dr J. McKensie University of Glasgow |
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) is very common in elderly men. Often the symptoms experienced are due to “tension” in the “bladder neck” and the prostatic capsule; both structures which embrace the urethra (the tube through which urine passes). This tension is due to smooth muscle which contracts in response to “adrenalin-like” hormones in the body, these hormones bind to the muscle at sites known as adrenoreceptors. It follows that any drug which blocks these receptors will, in turn “relax” the structures above and ease the flow of urine.
The problem with this kind of medication is that non-selective blocking of these receptors will also “relax” blood vessel walls causing blood pressure to fall and the relevant individual to faint. However these adrenoreceptors do divide into subtypes, some of which are specific to the blood vessels and some of which are specific to the urinary system. A better understanding of these subtypes will allow more selective medications to be developed.
The researchers have used radioactive and fluorescent studies of “binding” to identify which receptors are best blocked by which drugs. Although there are no direct benefits to patients in this study the sort of information it provides lays the foundations for the development of new drugs.
Research summary dated 23 May 2006
Project 1997/02