Prostaglandin E2 Synthesis In Response Research Articles

Increased dietary sodium induces COX2 expression by activating NFκB in renal medullary interstitial cells

High salt diet induces renal medullary cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) expression. Selective blockade of renal medullary COX2 activity in rats causes salt-sensitive hypertension, suggesting a role for renal medullary COX2 in maintaining systemic sodium balance. The present study characterized the cellular location of COX2 induction in the kidney of mice following high salt diet and examined the role of NFκB in mediating this COX2 induction in response to increased dietary salt. High salt diet (8% NaCl) for 3days markedly increased renal medullary COX2 expression in C57Bl/6J mice. Co-immunofluorescence using a COX2 antibody and antibodies against aquaporin-2, ClC-K, aquaporin-1, and CD31 showed that high salt diet-induced COX2 was selectively expressed in renal medullary interstitial cells. By using NFκB reporter transgenic mice, we observed a sevenfold increase of luciferase activity in the renal medulla of the NFκB-luciferase reporter mice following high salt diet, and a robust induction of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expression mainly in renal medullary interstitial cells of the NFκB-EGFP reporter mice following high salt diet. Treating high salt diet-fed C57Bl/6J mice with selective IκB kinase inhibitor IMD-0354 (8mg/kg bw) substantially suppressed COX2 induction in renal medulla, and also significantly reduced urinary prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). These data therefore suggest that renal medullary interstitial cell NFκB plays an important role in mediating renal medullary COX2 expression and promoting renal PGE2 synthesis in response to increased dietary sodium.

The antifibrotic effects of plasminogen activation occur via prostaglandin E2 synthesis in humans and mice

Plasminogen activation to plasmin protects from lung fibrosis, but the mechanism underlying this antifibrotic effect remains unclear. We found that mice lacking plasminogen activation inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), which are protected from bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, exhibit lung overproduction of the antifibrotic lipid mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Plasminogen activation upregulated PGE2 synthesis in alveolar epithelial cells, lung fibroblasts, and lung fibrocytes from saline- and bleomycin-treated mice, as well as in normal fetal and adult primary human lung fibroblasts. This response was exaggerated in cells from Pai1-/- mice. Although enhanced PGE2 formation required the generation of plasmin, it was independent of proteinase-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) and instead reflected proteolytic activation and release of HGF with subsequent induction of COX-2. That the HGF/COX-2/PGE2 axis mediates in vivo protection from fibrosis in Pai1-/- mice was demonstrated by experiments showing that a selective inhibitor of the HGF receptor c-Met increased lung collagen to WT levels while reducing COX-2 protein and PGE2 levels. Of clinical interest, fibroblasts from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis were found to be defective in their ability to induce COX-2 and, therefore, unable to upregulate PGE2 synthesis in response to plasmin or HGF. These studies demonstrate crosstalk between plasminogen activation and PGE2 generation in the lung and provide a mechanism for the well-known antifibrotic actions of the fibrinolytic pathway.

Changes in intra-and extracellular Ca2+ concentration and prostaglandin E2 synthesis in osteoblasts of the femoral bone in experimental hyper-and hypothyroidism

Subclinical form of hypothyroidism was not associated with considerable changes in Ca(2+) content in osteoblasts and blood plasma and in the content of ATP and prostaglandin E2. Activation of prostaglandin E2 synthesis in response to binding of extracellular Ca(2+) in osteoblasts in the absence of ATP was less pronounced (by 11%) compared to the control. Progression of hypothyroidism and development of clinical signs of the disease were accompanied by a decrease in Ca(2+) content in osteoblasts and plasma by 45 and 12%, respectively, and ATP content in osteoblasts by 30%, and by activation of prostaglandin E2 synthesis by 117%. Moreover, the synthesis of prostaglandins in response to binding of extra- and intracellular Ca(2+) also considerably changed. Hyperthyroidism (2 months) was characterized by a moderate decrease in plasma content of Ca(2+) by 15% and ATP by 25%, together with an increase in prostaglandin E2 level by 55.5%. The release of prostaglandin E2 in response to chelation of extracellular Ca(2+) increased even more markedly, but somewhat decreased in response to addition of 5 mM ATP due to compensation of metabolic acidosis.

Leishmania donovani-induced macrophages cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2 synthesis.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion during Leishmania infection has been reported. However, the signalling mechanisms mediating this response are not well understood. Since cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) are involved in PGE2 synthesis in response to various stimuli, the implication of these enzymes was evaluated in Leishmania-infected phorbol myristate acetate-differentiated U937 human monocytic cell line. Time-course experiments showed that PGE2 synthesis increased significantly in parallel with COX-2 expression when cells were incubated in the presence of Leishmania donovani promastigotes or lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Increase in cPLA2 mRNA expression was only detected when cells were stimulated with LPS. Indomethacin, genistein, and H7, which are antagonists of COX-2, protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) and protein kinase C (PKC), respectively, inhibited PGE2 production induced by L. donovani and LPS. However, only H7 inhibited COX-2 mRNA synthesis, and there was a significant correlation between PGE2 inhibition and reduced COX-2 expression. Collectively, our results indicate that infection of U937 by L. donovani leads to the generation of PGE2 in part through a PKC-dependent signalling pathway involving COX-2 expression. They further reveal that PTK-dependent events are necessary for Leishmania-induced PGE2 generation, but not for COX-2 expression. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which Leishmania can induce PGE2 production could provide insight into the pathophysiology of leishmaniasis and may help to improve therapeutic approaches.

Phospholipase D-derived Products in the Regulation of 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-stimulated Prostaglandin Synthesis in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cells

Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells stimulated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in the presence of ethanol synthesize phosphatidylethanol (PEt) instead of phosphatidic acid (PA) and diglyceride (DG). We have used ethanol to block the production of phospholipase D (PLD)-derived PA and DG (from PA hydrolysis) to study their role in signal transduction. In MDCK cells, TPA-stimulated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis was inhibited by ethanol at concentrations which inhibit PA and DG formation. In addition, TPA elicited a prolonged increase in PGE2 synthesis that is dependent upon continuous activation of PLD. The TPA-stimulated translocation of protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha) from cytosol to membrane was unaffected by ethanol. This suggests that PLD-derived products act downstream of PKC in TPA-stimulated prostaglandin synthesis. The calcium ionophore, A23187, did not activate PLD, and PGE2 synthesis in response to A23187 was unaffected by ethanol. TPA increased prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase (PGHS) activity and increased the amount of immunodetectable prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase 2 (PGHS-2). A23187 did not induce PGHS-2 and A23187-stimulated PGE2 synthesis appears to be due to the constitutively expressed PGHS-1. Blocking the formation of PLD-derived products, PA and DG, inhibited the induction of PGHS-2 by TPA. These results indicate that prolonged PGE2 synthesis in response to TPA is due to the continuous induction of PGHS-2, which is dependent upon PLD activation. In contrast, induction of PGHS-2 by epidermal growth factor was not affected by ethanol. Epidermal growth factor did not induce PKCalpha translocation nor activate PLD. Taken together, these data suggest that PLD-derived PA or DG act as second messengers in the induction of PGHS-2 by PKC-dependent pathways. The demonstration that inhibition of TPA-induced PA formation inhibits Raf-1 translocation in MDCK cells (Ghosh, S., Strum, J. C., Sciorra, V. A., Daniel, L. W. , and Bell, R. M. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 8472-8480) suggests that PA is the active PLD metabolite in TPA-stimulated signaling.

Ultraviolet B injury increases prostaglandin synthesis through a tyrosine kinase-dependent pathway. Evidence for UVB-induced epidermal growth factor receptor activation.

To study the signal transduction mechanisms by which ultraviolet B (UVB) leads to increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis, human epidermal cultures were irradiated with 30 mJ/cm2 UVB and assayed for 6-h cumulative PGE2. Supernatants from irradiated cultures showed a 4-fold increase in PGE2 synthesis (113.6 +/- 26.8 pg/mg protein) when compared to supernatants from sham-irradiated cultures (25.6 +/- 3.9 pg/mg protein). Pretreatment of irradiated cultures with genistein (10 micrograms/ml) or tyrphostin-23 (50 microM), inhibitors of tyrosine kinases, blocked UVB-stimulated PGE2 synthesis. Treatment of nonirradiated cultures with epidermal growth factor (EGF), which acts through the receptor tyrosine kinase EGF-R, produced a 4-fold increase in PGE2 synthesis. However, addition of EGF to irradiated cultures did not further enhance their PGE2 synthesis, indicating irradiation rendered them refractory to EGF stimulation. In contrast, irradiated cultures could still significantly increase their PGE2 synthesis in response to the calcium ionophore A23187 or the protein kinase C activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, suggesting that the lack of response to EGF was selective. Furthermore, anti-phosphotyrosine immunoblot analysis revealed UVB-induced phosphorylation of tyrosine residues of EGF-R, an indicator of receptor activation. Phosphorylation was maximal 30-60 min after irradiation and was blocked by the tyrosine kinase inhibitors, genistein and tyrphostin. The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine decreased UVB-induced EGF-R tyrosine phosphorylation and PGE2 synthesis to near-basal levels. Conversely, treatment of unirradiated cultures with the potent oxidant tert-butyl-hydroperoxide (100 microM) increased both PGE2 synthesis and EGF-R phosphorylation. Collectively, these data suggest that antioxidant depletion induced by UV results in tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of the EGF-R. This activation may subsequently activate epidermal phospholipase at early time points after UVB exposure.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) Regulation of Human Endometrial Function: Presence of IL-1 Receptor Correlates with IL-1-Stimulated Prostaglandin E2Production*

Previous studies suggest that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is important in normal endometrial function and that it may be involved in certain uterine dysfunctions. In this study, the ability of the purified E. coli-derived recombinant interleukin-1 alpha (rIL-1 alpha) to regulate the production of PGE2 by the endometrial epithelium is investigated. PGE2 levels determined by the RIA consistently increase upon incubation of cultured glandular epithelial cells with rIL-1 alpha. A significant increase is obtained with 17 and 170 ng/L rIL-1 alpha. A maximal effect is obtained within 24 h of incubation with rIL-1 alpha. In the seven endometria evaluated, rIL-1 alpha increases PGE2 synthesis in all cases, but the maximal increase relative to the basal levels varies between 2- to 10-fold for a given preparation. Vibratome sections retaining the integrity of the endometrial tissue also show an increased PGE2 synthesis in response to rIL-1 alpha. rIL-1 alpha-stimulated PGE2 production is blocked by the addition of a neutralizing antibody to rIL-1 alpha. In addition, indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, suppresses both rIL-1 alpha-induced and basal PGE2 synthesis. Experiments using radioiodinated rIL-1 alpha reveal that the membranes prepared from human endometrial epithelium possess high affinity receptors for IL-1, suggesting that IL-1 regulates PGE2 synthesis by binding to this receptor site. The expression of IL-1 receptors and the ability to modulate PGE2 production by IL-1 in endometrial epithelium suggest that IL-1 may play a significant role in human uterine function via modulation of PGE2 production.

Interleukin 1 amplifies receptor-mediated activation of phospholipase A2 in 3T3 fibroblasts.

Human recombinant interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and IL-1 beta stimulated prostaglandin E2 synthesis in 3T3 fibroblasts in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Enhanced prostaglandin E2 synthesis after IL-1 treatment was apparent by 1 hr and continued to increase for at least 2 days. Half-maximal stimulation occurred at 0.5 pM IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta, and both interleukins were equally effective, with maximal stimulation occurring in response to 5-10 pM IL-1. In contrast to IL-1, bradykinin stimulation of prostaglandin E2 synthesis is rapid; its effect is maximal by 5 min. In cells that had been pretreated with IL-1 for 24 hr, prostaglandin E2 synthesis in response to bradykinin was amplified more than 10-fold. IL-1 also amplified the receptor-mediated formation of prostaglandin E2 by bombesin and thrombin. The lymphokine did not affect bradykinin receptor number or affinity. IL-1 treatment induced phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase but not phospholipase C or prostaglandin E isomerase. It also enhanced bradykinin-stimulated GTPase activity, suggesting possible induction of the GTP-binding regulatory protein coupled to the bradykinin receptor. Thus, IL-1 enhanced receptor-mediated release of prostaglandin E2 in response to bradykinin, bombesin, and thrombin by increasing the cellular levels of phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenase, and GTP-binding regulatory protein(s).