Inflammatory pain is caused by sensitization of peripheral and central nociceptive neurons. Prostaglandins substantially contribute to neuronal sensitization at both sites. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) applied to the spinal cord causes neuronal hyperexcitability similar to peripheral inflammation. Because PGE2 can act through EP1-EP4 receptors, we addressed the role of these receptors in the spinal ...

The significance of prostanoid signaling in neurovascular coupling during somatosensory stimulation is increasingly more appreciated, yet its involvement in mediating the cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to spreading depolarization (SD) has remained inconclusive. Selective cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme inhibitors (NS-398, SC-560) or an antagonist (L161,982) of the EP4 type prostaglandin E2 rece...

Entamoeba histolytica pathogenesis in the colon occurs in a stepwise fashion. It begins with colonization of the mucin layer, which is followed by stimulation of a proinflammatory response that causes nonspecific tissue damage that may facilitate parasite invasion of the underlying colonic mucosa. Unfortunately, the parasite and/or host factors that stimulate a proinflammatory response in the g...

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 (gelatinase B) participates in a variety of diverse physiologic and pathologic processes. We recently characterized a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-->PGE(2)-->EP4 receptor axis that regulates macrophage MMP-9 expression. In the present studies, we determined whether MMPs, commonly found in inflamed and neoplastic tissues, regulate this prostanoid-EP receptor axis lea...

In this issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), Wang et al.1 unravel an intriguing new signaling cascade that involves the prorenin receptor (PRR) in the kidney collecting ducts (CDs) as a necessary component of the physiologic ability of the kidneys to concentrate urine. The pathway includes serial coupling between the vasopressin (AVP) V2 receptor, the prostaglandin...

The metastatic spread of carcinoma cells is not fully understood. Here, we compare the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and intraocular metastatic cells in parotid gland carcinoma with the PBMCs of healthy donors by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. We found Ber-EP4 tumor marker-positive carcinoma cells in the aqueous humor of the patient's right eye and a CD45 and Ber-EP4-expre...

Prostaglandin (PG) E2 is the key driver of inflammation associated with arthritic conditions. Inhibitors of PGE 2 production (NSAIDs and Coxibs) are used to treat these conditions, but carry significant side effect risks due to the inhibition of all prostanoids that play important physiological function. The activities of PGE 2 are transduced through various receptor sub-types. Prostaglandin E2...

The aim of this study was to identify, in cultured human cervical ®broblasts, the mechanisms by which interleukin (IL)-1b induces the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and to explore the putative role of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in this process. Exposure of the cells for 24 h to IL-1b induced a signi®cant (P < 0.05) dose-dependent increase in GAG synthesis. IL-1b (1 ng/ ml) induced the expre...

Production of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) is enhanced during inflammation, and this lipid mediator can dramatically modulate immune responses. There are four receptors for PGE(2) (EP1-EP4) with unique patterns of expression and different coupling to intracellular signaling pathways. To identify the EP receptors that regulate cellular immune responses, we used mouse lines in which the genes enco...

Metastasis is the most dangerous risk faced by patients with hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC). The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been observed in several types of human cancers and regulates the efficacy of many therapies. Here, we show that treatment with various concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2; 0, 1, 5 or 10 μM) promotes the migration ability of the ...