Effects of pinacidil on proliferation of cultured rabbit airway smooth muscle cells induced by endothelin-1

It has been found that the potassium channel dysfunction of the membrane of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) is closely associated with proliferation of ASMCs.~1 Preliminary research has demonstrated that pinacidil, an ATP sensitive potassium channel (K_(ATP)) opener, could play a remarkable role in the prevention and treatment of antigen induced bronchial asthma in guinea pigs.~2 (This study)was designed to investigate further the role and molecular mechanism of the proliferation of ASMCs: a chief pathological change of the nonacute phase of bronchial asthmatic episodes.