We tested the hypothesis that oscillatory airway smooth muscle (ASM) mechanics is governed by mechanosensitive energy loss and energy release elements that can be recruited by prestrain and cholinergic stimulation. We measured mechanical energy loss and mechanical energy release in unstimulated and carbachol-stimulated bovine ASM held at prestrains ranging from 0.3 to 1.0 Lo (reference length) and subjected to sinusoidal length oscillation at 1 hz with oscillatory strain amplitudes ranging from 0.1 to 1.5% Lo. We found that oscillatory ASM mechanics during sinusoidal length oscillation is governed predominantly by one class of nonlinear mechanosensitive energy loss element and one class of nonlinear mechanosensitive energy release element with differential mechanosensitivities to oscillatory strain amplitude. The greater mechanosensitivity of the energy loss element than energy release element may explain the bronchodilatory effect of deep inspiration. Prestrain, an important determinant of ASM responsiveness, differentially increased energy loss and energy release in unstimulated and carbachol-stimulated ASM. Cholinergic stimulation, an important cause of bronchoconstriction and airway inflammation, also differentially increased energy loss and energy release. When prestrain and cholinergic stimulation were combined, we found that prestrain and cholinergic stimulation synergistically increased energy loss and energy release by ASM. The relationship between recruitment of energy loss elements and recruitment of energy release elements was nonlinear, suggesting that energy loss and energy release elements are not coupled in ASM cells. These findings imply that large lung volume and cholinergic ASM activation would synergistically increase mechanical energy expenditure during inspiration and mechanical recoil of ASM during expiration. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We report for the first time that oscillatory airway smooth muscle mechanics is governed predominantly by one class of nonlinear mechanosensitive energy loss element and one class of nonlinear mechanosensitive energy release element with differential mechanosensitivities to oscillatory strain amplitude. Prestrain and cholinergic stimulation synergistically and differentially recruit energy loss and energy release elements. The greater mechanosensitivity of the energy loss element than the energy release element may explain the bronchodilatory effect of deep inspiration.
Keywords: ASM; cholinergic stimulation; mechanics; mechanosensitive; prestrain.