Fig. 1.

Dynamic changes of cell stiffness in response to a full β₂-adrenergic receptor (β₂AR) agonist isoproterenol (Iso) and a selective bitter taste receptor (TAS2R) agonist chloroquine (Chloro) in human airway smooth muscle (ASM), as assessed by Magnetic Twisting Cytometry. Primary human ASM cell cultures were established from 5 separate lung donors. Isolated human ASM cells were untreated (A and B) or treated for 18 h with 1 μM albuterol (C and D). Cells were contracted with 10 μM methacholine (MCh) and then relaxed with 10 μM Iso (A and C) or 1 mM Chloro (B and D). For each cell, changes in stiffness in response to Iso or Chloro were normalized to its respective MCh-contracted stiffness. Values are presented as median (A: n = 53–266; B: n = 62–281; C: n = 58–248; D: n = 70–233 individual cell measurements).