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Methylxanthines pp 457–468Cite as

Methylxanthines and Inflammatory Cells

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Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 200))

Abstract

Both caffeine and theophylline have a variety of roles in regulating inflammatory responses. At pharmacologically relevant concentrations most of the effects of these commonly used methylxanthines are attributable to adenosine receptor blockade and histone deacetylase activation. In addition, at higher concentrations methylxanthines can suppress inflammation by inhibiting phosphodiesterases, thereby elevating intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels. In summary, methylxanthines regulate inflammation by multiple mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA

    György Haskó

  2. Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Bruce Cronstein

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  1. György Haskó
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  2. Bruce Cronstein
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Haskó, G., Cronstein, B. (2011). Methylxanthines and Inflammatory Cells. In: Methylxanthines. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 200. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13443-2_18

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