The ingestion of apoptotic cells (ACs; termed "efferocytosis") by phagocytes has been shown to trigger the release of molecules such as transforming growth factor beta, interleukin-10 (IL-10), nitric oxide, and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). Although the antiinflammatory actions of these mediators may contribute to the restoration of homeostasis after tissue injury, their potential impact on anti...

The roles of prostaglandins (PGs) as mediators of inflammation have been extensively studied, and production of PGI2 and PGE2 at inflammatory sites has been reported. However, it has not yet been clarified which type of PG receptors has a major role in inflammatory exudation. To examine in vivo role of PG receptors in inflammatory exudation, we induced pleurisy in PG receptors (IP, EP1, EP2, EP...

Airway remodeling is a main pathological characteristic of asthma, and strongly associated with migration and proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells. E-prostanoid (EP) receptor can regulate airway remodeling. This study established a rat model of asthma and evaluated EP changes in airway smooth muscle cells under the asthmatic state so as to provide theoretical evidence for developing EP d...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Histamine and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ), directly and via their effects on other cells, regulate the behaviour of vascular smooth muscle (VSM), but their effects on human VSM are incompletely resolved. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The effects of PGE2 on histamine-evoked changes in intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+) ]i ) and adenylyl cyclase activity were measured ...

OBJECTIVE We recently demonstrated that inducible cyclooxygenase/PGE synthase-1 (COX-2/mPGES-1) are overexpressed in symptomatic plaques in association with PGE2-dependent metalloproteinase (matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]) biosynthesis and plaque rupture. However, it is not known which of the 4 PGE2 receptors (EP1-4) mediates macrophage metalloproteinase generation. The aim of this study was to...

Proteinase-activated receptor (PAR) is expressed on various cells, and the PAR family consists of PAR1, PAR2, PAR3, and PAR4. Individual PARs are activated during inflammatory conditions in which they regulate inflammatory responses in various diseases. For example, PAR activation is known to induce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, and then upregulated PGE2 suppresses PAR1 expression in a ne...

In cancer management, the cyclooxygenase (COX)-targeted approach has shown great promise in anticancer therapeutics. However, the use of COX-2 inhibitors has side effects and health hazards; thus, targeting its major metabolite prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2))-mediated signaling pathway might be a rational approach for the next generation of cancer management. Recent studies on several in vitro and ...

The endopeptidases (EPs) in wheat endosperms during seed germination and subsequent seedling growth were characterized by gradient-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with gelatin copolymerized into the gel. Four cysteine EPs (EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4) were detected in wheat endosperm during the 7d growth after seed imbibition. The results also showed that the activities of all these EPs increased ...

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) can increase endothelial vascular endogrowth factor A (VEGF-A) production but the mechanisms involved are unclear. Here we characterized the transcriptional mechanisms involved in human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMC). PGE2 increased VEGF-A mRNA and protein but not mRNA stability. PGE2 stimulated the activity of a transiently transfected 2068-bp (-2018 to +50) VEGF-A ...

Clinical studies indicate that prostaglandins of E class (PGEs) may promote healing of tissue injury e.g., gastroduodenal and dermal ulcers. However, the precise roles of PGEs, their E-prostanoid (EP) receptors, signaling pathways including cAMP and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and their relation to VEGF and angiogenesis in the tissue injury healing process remain unknown, form...