PGI2 as a regulator of inflammatory diseases

Systemic prostacyclin and thromboxane production in obstructive sleep apnea

PURPOSE

Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Alternations in prostacyclin and thromboxane concentrations and balance could constitute one of mechanisms linking sleep apnea and cardiovascular events. Thus we aimed to assess the concentrations of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α) (metabolite of prostacyclin) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) (metabolite of thromboxane A2) in urine and blood of obstructive sleep apnea patients and controls (snoring subjects with otherwise normal polysomnogram).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Overnight urine and morning blood samples were taken from subjects and controls at baseline and in sleep apnea group during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. Samples were analyzed using mass chromatography/gas spectrometry.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 26 obstructive sleep apnea subjects (mean apnea-hypopnea index 45.4±17.3) and 22 well-matched controls. At baseline sleep apnea patients, when compared to controls, have higher 6-keto-PGF1α in urine (0.89±0.15 vs 0.34±0.06, p=0.01) and blood (24.49±1.54 vs 19.70±1.77, p=0.04). TXB2 levels in urine and blood were not different across groups. CPAP treatment significantly decreased 6-keto-PGF1α in urine (0.92±0.17 vs 0.22±0.10, p=0.04), but not in blood. TXB2 levels during CPAP treatment did not change significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest augmented systemic prostacyclin production in obstructive sleep apnea patients, which potentially could constitute a protective mechanism against detrimental effects of sleep apnea.

Treatment with intranasal iloprost reduces disease manifestations in a murine model of previously established COPD

Pulmonary endothelial prostacyclin appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The effect of treatment with a prostacyclin analog in animal models of previously established COPD is unknown. We evaluated the short- and long-term effect of iloprost on inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in a murine model of COPD. Nineteen mice were exposed to LPS/elastase, followed by either three doses of intranasal iloprost or saline. In the long-term treatment experiment, 18 mice were exposed to LPS/elastase and then received 6 wk of iloprost or were left untreated as controls. In the short-term experiment, iloprost did not change AHR but significantly reduced serum IL-5 and IFN-γ. Long-term treatment with iloprost for both 2 and 6 wk significantly improved AHR. After 6 wk of iloprost, there was a reduction in bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) neutrophils, serum IL-1β (30.0 ± 9.2 vs. 64.8 ± 7.4 pg/ml, P = 0.045), IL-2 (36.5 ± 10.6 vs. 83.8 ± 0.4 pg/ml, P = 0.01), IL-10 (75.7 ± 9.3 vs. 96.5 ± 3.5 pg/ml, P = 0.02), and nitrite (15.1 ± 5.4 vs. 30.5 ± 10.7 μmol, P = 0.01). Smooth muscle actin (SMA) in the lung homogenate was also significantly reduced after iloprost treatment (P = 0.02), and SMA thickness was reduced in the small and medium blood vessels after iloprost (P < 0.001). In summary, short- and long-term treatment with intranasal iloprost significantly reduced systemic inflammation in an LPS/elastase COPD model. Long-term iloprost treatment also reduced AHR, serum nitrite, SMA, and BALF neutrophilia. These data encourage future investigations of prostanoid therapy as a novel treatment for COPD patients.

Investigation of cyclooxygenase and signaling pathways involved in human platelet aggregation mediated by synergistic interaction of various agonists

In the present study, the mechanism(s) of synergistic interaction of various platelet mediators such as arachidonic acid (AA) when combined with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or adenosine diphosphate (ADP) on human platelet aggregation were examined. The results demonstrated that 5-HT had no or negligible effect on aggregation but it did potentiate the aggregation response of AA. Similarly, the combination of subeffective concentrations of ADP and AA exhibited noticeable rise in platelet aggregation. Moreover, the observed synergistic effect of AA with 5-HT on platelets was inhibited by different cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, namely ibuprofen and celecoxib, with half maximal inhibitory effect (IC₅₀) values of 18.0±1.8 and 15.6±3.4 μmol/L, respectively. Interestingly, the synergistic effect observed for AA with 5-HT was, also, blocked by the 5-HT receptor blockers cyproheptadine (IC₅₀=22.0±7 μmol/L), ketanserin (IC₅₀=152±23 μmol/L), phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor (U73122; IC₅₀=6.1±0.8 μmol/L), and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor (PD98059; IC₅₀=3.8±0.5 μmol/L). Likewise, the synergism of AA and ADP was, also, attenuated by COX inhibitors (ibuprofen; IC₅₀=20±4 μmol/L and celecoxib; IC₅₀=24±7 μmol/L), PLC inhibitor (U73122; IC₅₀=3.7±0.3 μmol/L), and MAPK inhibitor (PD98059; IC₅₀=2.8±1.1 μmol/L). Our observed data demonstrate that the combination of subthreshold concentrations of agonists amplifies platelet aggregation and that these synergistic effects largely depend on activation of COX/thromboxane A2, receptor-operated Ca²⁺ channels, Gq/PLC, and MAPK signaling pathways. Moreover, our data revealed that inhibition of COX pathways by using both selective and/or non-selective COX inhibitors blocks not only AA metabolism and thromboxane A2 formation, but also its binding to Gq receptors and activation of receptor-operated Ca²⁺ channels in platelets. Overall, our results show that PLC and MAPK inhibitors proved to inhibit the synergistic activation of platelets by several/multiple agonists.

Relationship of the Topological Distances and Activities between mPGES-1 and COX-2 versus COX-1: Implications of the Different Post-Translational Endoplasmic Reticulum Organizations of COX-1 and COX-2

In vascular inflammation, prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) is largely biosynthesized by microsomal PGE₂ synthase-1 (mPGES-1), competing with other downstream eicosanoid-synthesizing enzymes, such as PGIS, a synthase of a vascular protector prostacyclin (PGI₂), to isomerize the cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-derived prostaglandin H2 (PGH₂). In this study, we found that a majority of the product from the cells co-expressing human COX-2, mPGES-1, and PGIS was PGE₂. We hypothesize that the molecular and cellular mechanisms are related to the post-translational endoplasmic reticulum (ER) arrangement of those enzymes. A set of fusion enzymes, COX-2-linker [10 amino acids (aa)]-PGIS and COX-2-linker (22 amino acids)-PGIS, were created as "The Bioruler", in which the 10 and 22 amino acids are defined linkers with known helical structures and distances (14.4 and 30.8 Å, respectively). Our experiments have shown that the efficiency of PGI₂ biosynthesis was reduced when the separation distance increased from 10 to 22 amino acids. When COX-2-10aa-PGIS (with a 14.4 Å separation) was co-expressed with mPGES-1 on the ER membrane, a major product was PGE₂, but not PGI₂. However, expression of COX-2-10aa-PGIS and mPGES-1 on a separated ER with a distance of ≫30.8 Å reduced the level of PGE₂ production. These data indicated that the mPGES-1 is "complex-likely" colocalized with COX-2 within a distance of 14.4 Å. In addition, the cells co-expressing COX-1-10aa-PGIS and mPGES-1 produced PGI₂ mainly, but not PGE₂. This indicates that mPGES-1 is expressed much farther from COX-1. These findings have led to proposed models showing the different post-translational ER organization between COX-2 and COX-1 with respect to the topological arrangement of the mPGES-1 during vascular inflammation.

Proinflammatory Pathways: The Modulation by Flavonoids

Inflammation is a natural, carefully orchestrated response of the organism to tissue damage, involving various signaling systems and the recruitment of inflammatory cells. These cells are stimulated to release a myriad of mediators that amplify the inflammatory response and recruit additional cells. These mediators present numerous redundancies of functions, allowing a broad and effective inflammatory response, but simultaneously make the understanding of inflammation pathways much difficult. The extent of the inflammatory response is usually self-limited, although it depends on the balance between the pro- and anti-inflammatory signals. When that equilibrium is dislocated, a more widespread inflammatory response may take place. Flavonoids have been shown to be possible alternatives to the traditionally molecules used as anti-inflammatory agents. In fact, the biological activities of flavonoids include the modulation of the diverse phases of inflammatory processes, from the gene transcription and expression to the inhibition of the enzymatic activities and the scavenging of the reactive species. In the present review, the inflammatory network is widely revised and the flavonoids' broad spectrum of action in many of the analyzed inflammatory pathways is revised. This kind of integrated revision is original in the field, providing the reader the simultaneous comprehension of the inflammatory process and the potential beneficial activities of flavonoids.

The role of prostaglandins in allergic lung inflammation and asthma

Prostaglandins (PGs) are products of the COX pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism. There are five primary PGs, PGD₂, PGE₂, PGF₂, PGI₂ and thromboxane A₂, all of which signal through distinct seven transmembrane, G-protein coupled receptors. Some PGs may counteract the actions of others, or even the same PG may have opposing physiologic or immunologic effects, depending on the specific receptor through which it signals. In this review, we examine the effects of COX activity and the various PGs on allergic airway inflammation and physiology that is associated with asthma. We also highlight the potential therapeutic benefit of targeting PGs in allergic lung inflammation and asthma based on basic science, animal model and human studies.

Human bone marrow stromal cells lose immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties upon oncogenic transformation

Because of their immunomodulatory properties, human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) represent promising stem cells for treatment of immune disorders. hBMSCs expansion precedes their clinical use, so the possibility that hBMSCs undergo spontaneous transformation upon long-term culture should be addressed. Whether hBMSCs retain immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties upon oncogenic transformation remains unknown. Using sequentially mutated hBMSCs and spontaneously transformed hBMSCs, we report that, upon oncogenic transformation, hBMSCs lose immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and in vivo. Transcriptome profiling and functional assays reveal immune effectors underlying the loss of immunomodulation in transformed hBMSCs. They display a proinflammatory transcriptomic signature, with deregulation of immune and inflammatory modulators and regulators of the prostaglandin synthesis. Transformed hBMSCs lose their capacity to secrete the immunosuppressive prostacyclins prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and PGI2 but produce proinflammatory thromboxanes. Together, the immunoregulatory profile adopted by hBMSCs largely depends on intrinsic genetic-molecular determinants triggered by genomic instability/oncogenic transformation.

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Oncogenic hBMSCs display robustly impaired immune properties

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Transformed hBMSCs display a proinflammatory transcriptomic signature

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Transformed hBMSCs lose capacity to secrete immunosuppressive prostacyclins

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Transformed hBMSCs gain the capacity to produce proinflammatory thromboxanes

Functional prostacyclin synthase promoter polymorphisms. Impact in pulmonary arterial hypertension

RATIONALE

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressure, vascular remodeling, and ultimately right ventricular heart failure. PAH can have a genetic component (heritable PAH), most often through mutations of bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2, and idiopathic and associated forms. Heritable PAH is not completely penetrant within families, with approximately 20% concurrence of inactivating bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 mutations and delayed onset of PAH disease. Because one of the treatment options is using prostacyclin analogs, we hypothesized that prostacyclin synthase promoter sequence variants associated with increased mRNA expression may play a protective role in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 unaffected carriers.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the range of prostacyclin synthase promoter variants and assess their transcriptional activities in PAH-relevant cell types. To determine the distribution of prostacyclin synthase promoter variants in PAH, unaffected carriers in heritable PAH families, and control populations.

METHODS

Polymerase chain reaction approaches were used to genotype prostacyclin synthase promoter variants in more than 300 individuals. Prostacyclin synthase promoter haplotypes' transcriptional activities were determined with luciferase reporter assays.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We identified a comprehensive set of prostacyclin synthase promoter variants and tested their transcriptional activities in PAH-relevant cell types. We demonstrated differences of prostacyclin synthase promoter activities dependent on their haplotype.

CONCLUSIONS

Prostacyclin synthase promoter sequence variants exhibit a range of transcriptional activities. We discovered a significant bias for more active prostacyclin synthase promoter variants in unaffected carriers as compared with affected patients with PAH.

Genetic Deletion of Prostacyclin IP Receptor Exacerbates Transient Global Cerebral Ischemia in Aging Mice

Transient global cerebral ischemia causes delayed neuronal death in the hippocampal CA1 region. It also induces an up regulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), which generates several metabolites of arachidonic acid, known as prostanoids, including Prostaglandin I2 (PGI2). The present study investigated whether the PGI2 IP receptor plays an important role in brain injury after global cerebral ischemia in aged mice. Adult young (2-3 months) and aged (12-15 months) male C57Bl/6 wild-type (WT) or IP receptor knockout (IP KO) mice underwent a 12 min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) or a sham surgery. Behavior tests (neurologic deficit and T-maze) were performed 3 and 7 days after BCCAO. After seven days of reperfusion, the numbers of cells positive for markers of neurons, astrocytes, microglia, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB) were evaluated immunohistochemically. Interestingly, in young and aged IP KO ischemic mice, there was a significant increase (p < 0.01) in cognitive deficit, hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron death, microglia and MPO activation, while p-CREB was reduced as compared to their corresponding WT controls. These data suggest that following ischemia, IP receptor deletion contributes to memory and cognitive deficits regulated by the CREB pathway and that treatment with IP receptor agonists could be a useful target to prevent harmful consequences.

Prostacyclin analogue beraprost inhibits cardiac fibroblast proliferation depending on prostacyclin receptor activation through a TGF β-Smad signal pathway

Previous studies showed that prostacyclin inhibited fibrosis. However, both receptors of prostacyclin, prostacyclin receptor (IP) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), are abundant in cardiac fibroblasts. Here we investigated which receptor was vital in the anti-fibrosis effect of prostacyclin. In addition, the possible mechanism involved in protective effects of prostacyclin against cardiac fibrosis was also studied. We found that beraprost, a prostacyclin analogue, inhibited angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced neonatal rat cardiac fibroblast proliferation in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. Beraprost also suppressed Ang II-induced collagen I mRNA expression and protein synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts. After IP expression was knocked down by siRNA, Ang II-induced proliferation and collagen I synthesis could no longer be rescued by beraprost. However, treating cells with different specific inhibitors of PPAR subtypes prior to beraprost and Ang II stimulation, all of the above attenuating effects of beraprost were still available. Moreover, beraprost significantly blocked transforming growth factor β (TGF β) expression as well as Smad2 phosphorylation and reduced Smad-DNA binding activity. Beraprost also increased phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) at Ser133 in the nucleus. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that beraprost increased CREB but decreased Smad2 binding to CREB-binding protein (CBP) in nucleus. In conclusion, beraprost inhibits cardiac fibroblast proliferation by activating IP and suppressing TGF β-Smad signal pathway.

Elevated prostacyclin biosynthesis in mice impacts memory and anxiety-like behavior

Prostacyclin is an endogenous lipid metabolite with properties of vasodilation and anti-platelet aggregation. While the effects of prostacyclin on the vascular protection have been well-documented, the role of this eicosanoid in the central nervous system has not been extensively studied. Recently, a transgenic mouse containing a hybrid enzyme, of cyclooxygenase-1 linked to prostacyclin synthase, was developed that produces elevated levels of prostacyclin in vivo. The goal of this study was to investigate whether increased prostacyclin biosynthesis could affect behavioral phenotypes in mice. Our results uncovered that elevated levels of prostacyclin broadly affect both cognitive and non-cognitive behaviors, including decreased anxiety-like behavior and improved learning in the fear-conditioning memory test. This study demonstrates that prostacyclin plays an important, but previously unrecognized, role in central nervous system function and behavior.

Gene expression of desaturase (FADS1 and FADS2) and Elongase (ELOVL5) enzymes in peripheral blood: association with polyunsaturated fatty acid levels and atopic eczema in 4-year-old children

Background

It is unknown if changes in the gene expression of the desaturase and elongase enzymes are associated with abnormal n-6 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) levels in children with atopic eczema (AE). We analyzed whether mRNA-expression of genes encoding key enzymes of LC-PUFA synthesis (FADS1, FADS2 and ELOVL5) is associated with circulating LC-PUFA levels and risk of AE in 4-year-old children.

Methods

AE (n=20) and non-AE (n=104) children participating in the Sabadell cohort within the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) Project were included in the present study. RT-PCR with TaqMan Low-Density Array cards was used to measure the mRNA-expression of FADS1, FADS2 and ELOVL5. LC-PUFA levels were measured by fast gas chromatography in plasma phospholipids. The relationship of gene expression with LC-PUFA levels and enzyme activities was evaluated by Pearson’s rank correlation coefficient, and logistic regression models were used to study its association with risk of developing AE.

Results

Children with AE had lower levels of several n-6 PUFA members, dihomo-γ-linolenic (DGLA) and arachidonic (AA) acids. mRNA-expression levels of FADS1 and 2 strongly correlated with DGLA levels and with D6D activity. FADS2 and ELOVL5 mRNA-expression levels were significantly lower in AE than in non-AE children (-40.30% and -20.36%; respectively), but no differences were found for FADS1.

Conclusions and Significance

Changes in the mRNA-expression levels of FADS1 and 2 directly affect blood DGLA levels and D6D activity. This study suggests that lower mRNA-expressions of FADS2 and ELOVL5 are associated with higher risk of atopic eczema in young children.

Prostaglandins and rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune, and complex inflammatory disease leading to bone and cartilage destruction, whose cause remains obscure. Accumulation of genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and dysregulated immune responses are necessary for mounting this self-reacting disease. Inflamed joints are infiltrated by a heterogeneous population of cellular and soluble mediators of the immune system, such as T cells, B cells, macrophages, cytokines, and prostaglandins (PGs). Prostaglandins are lipid inflammatory mediators derived from the arachidonic acid by multienzymatic reactions. They both sustain homeostatic mechanisms and mediate pathogenic processes, including the inflammatory reaction. They play both beneficial and harmful roles during inflammation, according to their site of action and the etiology of the inflammatory response. With respect to the role of PGs in inflammation, they can be effective mediators in the pathophysiology of RA. Thus the use of agonists or antagonists of PG receptors may be considered as a new therapeutic protocol in RA. In this paper, we try to elucidate the role of PGs in the immunopathology of RA.