Distribution of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 in the mouse brain

Effects of Medications on Heat Loss Capacity in Chronic Disease Patients: Health Implications Amidst Global Warming

Pharmacological agents used to treat or manage diseases can modify the level of heat strain experienced by chronically ill and elderly patients via different mechanistic pathways. Human thermoregulation is a crucial homeostatic process that maintains body temperature within a narrow range during heat stress through dry (i.e., increasing skin blood flow) and evaporative (i.e., sweating) heat loss, as well as active inhibition of thermogenesis, which is crucial to avoid overheating. Medications can independently and synergistically interact with aging and chronic disease to alter homeostatic responses to rising body temperature during heat stress. This review focuses on the physiologic changes, with specific emphasis on thermolytic processes, associated with medication use during heat stress. The review begins by providing readers with a background of the global chronic disease burden. Human thermoregulation and aging effects are then summarized to give an understanding of the unique physiologic changes faced by older adults. The effects of common chronic diseases on temperature regulation are outlined in the main sections. Physiologic impacts of common medications used to treat these diseases are reviewed in detail, with emphasis on the mechanisms by which these medications alter thermolysis during heat stress. The review concludes by providing perspectives on the need to understand the effects of medication use in hot environments, as well as a summary table of all clinical considerations and research needs of the medications included in this review. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Long-term medications modulate thermoregulatory function, resulting in excess physiological strain and predisposing patients to adverse health outcomes during prolonged exposures to extreme heat during rest and physical work (e.g., exercise). Understanding the medication-specific mechanisms of altered thermoregulation has importance in both clinical and research settings, paving the way for work toward refining current medication prescription recommendations and formulating mitigation strategies for adverse drug effects in the heat in chronically ill patients.

Prostaglandin E2 Production by Brain Endothelial Cells and the Generation of Fever

We recently demonstrated that prostaglandin production in brain endothelial cells is both necessary and sufficient for the generation of fever during systemic immune challenge. I here discuss this finding in light of the previous literature and point to some unresolved issues.

Prostaglandin production in brain endothelial cells during the initiation of fever

The initiation of fever has been a matter of controversy. Based on observations of little or no induction of prostaglandin synthesizing enzymes in the brain during the first phase of fever it was suggested that fever is initiated by prostaglandin released into the circulation from cells in the liver and lungs. Here we show in the mouse that prostaglandin synthesis is rapidly induced in the brain after immune challenge. These data are consistent with our recent findings in functional experiments that prostaglandin production in brain endothelial cells is both necessary and sufficient for the generation of all phases of fever.

Glial functions in the blood-brain communication at the circumventricular organs

The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are located around the brain ventricles, lack a blood-brain barrier (BBB) and sense blood-derived molecules. This review discusses recent advances in the importance of CVO functions, especially glial cells transferring periphery inflammation signals to the brain. The CVOs show size-limited vascular permeability, allowing the passage of molecules with molecular weight <10,000. This indicates that the lack of an endothelial cell barrier does not mean the free movement of blood-derived molecules into the CVO parenchyma. Astrocytes and tanycytes constitute a dense barrier at the distal CVO subdivision, preventing the free diffusion of blood-derived molecules into neighboring brain regions. Tanycytes in the CVOs mediate communication between cerebrospinal fluid and brain parenchyma via transcytosis. Microglia and macrophages of the CVOs are essential for transmitting peripheral information to other brain regions via toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). Inhibition of TLR2 signaling or depletion of microglia and macrophages in the brain eliminates TLR2-dependent inflammatory responses. In contrast to TLR2, astrocytes and tanycytes in the CVOs of the brain are crucial for initiating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses via TLR4. Depletion of microglia and macrophages augments LPS-induced fever and chronic sickness responses. Microglia and macrophages in the CVOs are continuously activated, even under normal physiological conditions, as they exhibit activated morphology and express the M1/M2 marker proteins. Moreover, the microglial proliferation occurs in various regions, such as the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and telencephalon, with a marked increase in the CVOs, due to low-dose LPS administration, and after high-dose LPS administration, proliferation is seen in most brain regions, except for the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. A transient increase in the microglial population is beneficial during LPS-induced inflammation for attenuating sickness response. Transient receptor potential receptor vanilloid 1 expressed in astrocytes and tanycytes of the CVOs is responsible for thermoregulation upon exposure to a warm environment less than 37°C. Alternatively, Nax expressed in astrocytes and tanycytes of the CVOs is crucial for maintaining body fluid homeostasis. Thus, recent findings indicate that glial cells in the brain CVOs are essential for initiating neuroinflammatory responses and maintaining body fluid and thermal homeostasis.

NF-κB signaling in tanycytes mediates inflammation-induced anorexia

OBJECTIVES

Infections, cancer, and systemic inflammation elicit anorexia. Despite the medical significance of this phenomenon, the question of how peripheral inflammatory mediators affect the central regulation of food intake is incompletely understood. Therefore, we have investigated the sickness behavior induced by the prototypical inflammatory mediator IL-1β.

METHODS

IL-1β was injected intravenously. To interfere with IL-1β signaling, we deleted the essential modulator of NF-κB signaling (Nemo) in astrocytes and tanycytes.

RESULTS

Systemic IL-1β increased the activity of the transcription factor NF-κB in tanycytes of the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH). By activating NF-κB signaling, IL-1β induced the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and stimulated the release of the anorexigenic prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) from tanycytes. When we deleted Nemo in astrocytes and tanycytes, the IL-1β-induced anorexia was alleviated whereas the fever response and lethargy response were unchanged. Similar results were obtained after the selective deletion of Nemo exclusively in tanycytes.

CONCLUSIONS

Tanycytes form the brain barrier that mediates the anorexic effect of systemic inflammation in the hypothalamus.

Peripheral-to-central immune communication at the area postrema glial-barrier following bleomycin-induced sterile lung injury in adult rats

The pathways for peripheral-to-central immune communication (P → C I-comm) following sterile lung injury (SLI) are unknown. SLI evokes systemic and central inflammation, which alters central respiratory control and viscerosensory transmission in the nucleus tractus solitarii (nTS). These functional changes coincide with increased interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) in the area postrema, a sensory circumventricular organ that connects P → C I-comm to brainstem circuits that control homeostasis. We hypothesize that IL-1β and its downstream transcriptional target, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), mediate P → C I-comm in the nTS. In a rodent model of SLI induced by intratracheal bleomycin (Bleo), the sigh frequency and duration of post-sigh apnea increased in Bleo- compared to saline- treated rats one week after injury. This SLI-dependent change in respiratory control occurred concurrently with augmented IL-1β and COX-2 immunoreactivity (IR) in the funiculus separans (FS), a barrier between the AP and the brainstem. At this barrier, increases in IL-1β and COX-2 IR were confined to processes that stained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and that projected basolaterally to the nTS. Further, FS radial-glia did not express TNF-α or IL-6 following SLI. To test our hypothesis, we blocked central COX-1/2 activity by intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of Indomethacin (Ind). Continuous ICV Ind treatment prevented Bleo-dependent increases in GFAP + and IL-1β + IR, and restored characteristics of sighs that reset the rhythm. These data indicate that changes in sighs following SLI depend partially on activation of a central COX-dependent P → C I-comm via radial-glia of the FS.

Inhibition of human microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 reduces seizure-induced increases of P-glycoprotein expression and activity at the blood-brain barrier

The cause of antiseizure drug (ASD) resistance in epilepsy is poorly understood. Here, we focus on the transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) that is partly responsible for limited ASD brain uptake, which is thought to contribute to ASD resistance. We previously demonstrated that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the prostaglandin E receptor, prostanoid E receptor subtype 1, are involved in seizure-mediated P-gp up-regulation. Thus, we hypothesized that inhibiting microsomal prostaglandin E₂ (PGE2) synthase-1 (mPGES-1), the enzyme generating PGE2, prevents blood-brain barrier P-gp up-regulation after status epilepticus (SE). To test our hypothesis, we exposed isolated brain capillaries to glutamate ex vivo and used a combined in vivo-ex vivo approach by isolating brain capillaries from humanized mPGES-1 mice to study P-gp levels. We demonstrate that glutamate signaling through the NMDA receptor, cytosolic phospholipase A2, COX-2, and mPGES-1 increases P-gp protein expression and transport activity levels. We show that mPGES-1 is expressed in human, rat, and mouse brain capillaries. We show that BI1029539, an mPGES-1 inhibitor, prevented up-regulation of P-gp expression and transport activity in capillaries exposed to glutamate and in capillaries from humanized mPGES-1 mice after SE. Our data provide key signaling steps underlying seizure-induced P-gp up-regulation and suggest that mPGES-1 inhibitors could potentially prevent P-gp up-regulation in epilepsy.-Soldner, E. L. B., Hartz, A. M. S., Akanuma, S.-I., Pekcec, A., Doods, H., Kryscio, R. J., Hosoya, K.-I., Bauer, B. Inhibition of human microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 reduces seizure-induced increases of P-glycoprotein expression and activity at the blood-brain barrier.

Neural Mechanisms of Inflammation-Induced Fever

Fever is a common symptom of infectious and inflammatory disease. It is well-established that prostaglandin E2 is the final mediator of fever, which by binding to its EP3 receptor subtype in the preoptic hypothalamus initiates thermogenesis. Here, we review the different hypotheses on how the presence of peripherally released pyrogenic substances can be signaled to the brain to elicit fever. We conclude that there is unequivocal evidence for a humoral signaling pathway by which proinflammatory cytokines, through their binding to receptors on brain endothelial cells, evoke fever by eliciting prostaglandin E2 synthesis in these cells. The evidence for a role for other signaling routes for fever, such as signaling via circumventricular organs and peripheral nerves, as well as transfer into the brain of peripherally synthesized prostaglandin E2 are yet far from conclusive. We also review the efferent limb of the pyrogenic pathways. We conclude that it is well established that prostaglandin E2 binding in the preoptic hypothalamus produces fever by disinhibition of presympathetic neurons in the brain stem, but there is yet little understanding of the mechanisms by which factors such as nutritional status and ambient temperature shape the response to the peripheral immune challenge.

Expression profile of the STAND protein Nwd1 in the developing and mature mouse central nervous system

The orchestrated events required during brain development, as well as the maintenance of adult neuronal plasticity, highly depend on the accurate responses of neuronal cells to various cellular stress or environmental stimuli. Recent studies have defined a previously unrecognized, broad class of multidomain proteins, designated as signal transduction ATPases with numerous domains (STAND), which comprises a large number of proteins, including the apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1 (Apaf1) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs), central players in cell death and innate immune responses, respectively. Although the involvement of STANDs in the central nervous system (CNS) has been postulated in terms of neuronal development and function, it remains largely unclear. Here, we identified Nwd1 (NACHT and WD repeat domain-containing protein 1), as a novel STAND protein, expressed in neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs). Structurally, Nwd1 was most analogous to the apoptosis regulator Apaf1, also involved in mitosis and axonal outgrowth regulation in the CNS. Using a specific antibody, we show that, during the embryonic and postnatal period, Nwd1 is expressed in nestin-positive NSPCs in vivo and in vitro, while postnatally it is found in terminally differentiated neurons and blood vessels. At the subcellular level, we demonstrate that Nwd1 is preferentially located in the cytosolic compartment of cultured NSPCs, partially overlapping with cytochrome c. These observations imply that Nwd1 might be involved in the neuronal lineage as a new STAND gene, including having a pro-apoptotic or nonapoptotic role, similar to Apaf1.

The Role of mPGES-1 in Inflammatory Brain Diseases

Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) has been thought to be an important mediator of inflammation in peripheral tissues, but recent studies clearly show the involvement of PGE₂ in inflammatory brain diseases. In some animal models of brain disease, the genetic disruption and chemical inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 resulted in the reduction of PGE₂ and amelioration of symptoms, and it had been thought that PGE₂ produced by COX-2 may be involved in the progression of injuries. However, COX-2 produces not only PGE₂, but also some other prostanoids, and thus the protective effects of COX-2 inhibition, as well as severe side effects, may be caused by the inhibition of prostanoids other than PGE₂. Therefore, to elucidate the role of PGE₂, studies of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), an inducible terminal enzyme for PGE₂ synthesis, have recently been an active area of research. Studies from mPGES-1 deficient mice provide compelling evidence for its role in a variety of inflammatory brain diseases, such as ischemic stroke, Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy, and clues for developing new therapeutic treatments for brain diseases by targeting mPGES-1. Considering that COX inhibitors may non-selectively suppress the production of many types of prostanoids that are essential for normal physiological functioning of the brain and peripheral tissues, as well as induce gastro-intestinal, renal and cardiovascular complications, mPGES-1 inhibitors are expected to be injury-selective and have fewer side-effects when treating human brain diseases. Thus, this paper focuses on recent studies that have demonstrated the involvement of mPGES-1 in pathological brain diseases.

Activation of the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and induction of sleep disturbance by sacral osteoblastoma: A case report

Osteoblastomas are benign bone tumors that produce prostaglandin and promote inflammation. The aim of the present study was to describe the clinical and radiological characteristics of a pediatric osteoblastoma case over an 8-month postoperative follow-up. The case involved an 11-year-old female patient with normal somatic development, presenting with a chief complaint of sleep disturbance. The patient had no spontaneous pain or other readily evident possible causes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a neoplastic lesion in the sacrum, with peritumoral edema. Intraoperative fast-frozen biopsy raised the suspicion of osteosarcoma. However, the final diagnosis was osteoblastoma and a second operation was performed for total resection. The edematous peritumoral bone and muscle tissues were preserved. Following total removal of the tumor, the sleep disturbance resolved. Eight months after the surgery, MRI revealed no recurrence of the tumor and reduction of the peritumoral edema. On immunohistochemical examination, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 were strongly positive, indicating that the tumor activated the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and produced prostaglandin. The inflammatory process subsequently promoted the development of peritumoral edema and induced the sleep disturbance.

Immune-Induced Fever Is Dependent on Local But Not Generalized Prostaglandin E2 Synthesis in the Brain

Fever occurs upon binding of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) to EP₃ receptors in the median preoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, but the origin of the pyrogenic PGE₂ has not been clearly determined. Here, using mice of both sexes, we examined the role of local versus generalized PGE₂ production in the brain for the febrile response. In wild-type mice and in mice with genetic deletion of the prostaglandin synthesizing enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 in the brain endothelium, generated with an inducible CreER^T2 under the Slco1c1 promoter, PGE₂ levels in the CSF were only weakly related to the magnitude of the febrile response, whereas the PGE₂ synthesizing capacity in the hypothalamus, as reflected in the levels of cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA, showed strong correlation with the immune-induced fever. Histological analysis showed that the deletion of cyclooxygenase-2 in brain endothelial cells occurred preferentially in small- and medium-sized vessels deep in the brain parenchyma, such as in the hypothalamus, whereas larger vessels, and particularly those close to the neocortical surface and in the meninges, were left unaffected, hence leaving PGE₂ synthesis largely intact in major parts of the brain while significantly reducing it in the region critical for the febrile response. Furthermore, injection of a virus vector expressing microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) into the median preoptic nucleus of fever-refractive mPGES-1 knock-out mice, resulted in a temperature elevation in response to LPS. We conclude that the febrile response is dependent on local release of PGE₂ onto its target neurons and not on the overall PGE₂ production in the brain.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT By using mice with selective deletion of prostaglandin synthesis in brain endothelial cells, we demonstrate that local prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) production in deep brain areas, such as the hypothalamus, which is the site of thermoregulatory neurons, is critical for the febrile response to peripheral inflammation. In contrast, PGE₂ production in other brain areas and the overall PGE₂ level in the brain do not influence the febrile response. Furthermore, partly restoring the PGE₂ synthesizing capacity in the anterior hypothalamus of mice lacking such capacity with a lentiviral vector resulted in a temperature elevation in response to LPS. These data imply that the febrile response is dependent on the local release of PGE₂ onto its target neurons, possibly by a paracrine mechanism.

Organization of the connections between claustrum and cortex in the mouse

The connections between the claustrum and the cortex in mouse are systematically investigated with adeno-associated virus (AAV), an anterograde viral tracer. We first define the boundary and the three-dimensional structure of the claustrum based on a variety of molecular and anatomical data. From AAV injections into 42 neocortical and allocortical areas, we conclude that most cortical areas send bilateral projections to the claustrum, the majority being denser on the ipsilateral side. This includes prelimbic, infralimbic, medial, ventrolateral and lateral orbital, ventral retrosplenial, dorsal and posterior agranular insular, visceral, temporal association, dorsal and ventral auditory, ectorhinal, perirhinal, lateral entorhinal, and anteromedial, posteromedial, lateroposterior, laterointermediate, and postrhinal visual areas. In contrast, the cingulate and the secondary motor areas send denser projections to the contralateral claustrum than to the ipsilateral one. The gustatory, primary auditory, primary visual, rostrolateral visual, and medial entorhinal cortices send projections only to the ipsilateral claustrum. Primary motor, primary somatosensory and subicular areas barely send projections to either ipsi- or contralateral claustrum. Corticoclaustral projections are organized in a rough topographic manner, with variable projection strengths. We find that the claustrum, in turn, sends widespread projections preferentially to ipsilateral cortical areas with different projection strengths and laminar distribution patterns and to certain contralateral cortical areas. Our quantitative results show that the claustrum has strong reciprocal and bilateral connections with prefrontal and cingulate areas as well as strong reciprocal connections with the ipsilateral temporal and retrohippocampal areas, suggesting that it may play a crucial role in a variety of cognitive processes. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:1317-1346, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Therapeutic implications of the choroid plexus-cerebrospinal fluid interface in neuropsychiatric disorders

The choroid plexus (CP) comprises an epithelial monolayer that forms an important physical, enzymatic and immunologic barrier, called the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). It is a highly vascularized organ located in the brain ventricles that is key in maintaining brain homeostasis as it produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and has other important secretory functions. Furthermore, the CP-CSF interface plays a putative role in neurogenesis and has been implicated in neuropsychiatric diseases such as the neurodevelopmental disorders schizophrenia and autism. A role for this CNS border was also implicated in sleep disturbances and chronic and/or severe stress, which are risk factors for the development of neuropsychiatric conditions. Understanding the mechanisms by which disturbance of the homeostasis at the CP-CSF interface is involved in these different chronic low-grade inflammatory diseases can give new insights into therapeutic strategies. Hence, this review discusses the different roles that have been suggested so far for the CP in these neuropsychiatric disorders, with special attention to potential therapeutic applications.

Central mediators involved in the febrile response: effects of antipyretic drugs

Fever is a complex signal of inflammatory and infectious diseases. It is generally initiated when peripherally produced endogenous pyrogens reach areas that surround the hypothalamus. These peripheral endogenous pyrogens are cytokines that are produced by leukocytes and other cells, the most known of which are interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6. Because of the capacity of these molecules to induce their own synthesis and the synthesis of other cytokines, they can also be synthesized in the central nervous system. However, these pyrogens are not the final mediators of the febrile response. These cytokines can induce the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2, which produces prostaglandins. These prostanoids alter hypothalamic temperature control, leading to an increase in heat production, the conservation of heat, and ultimately fever. The effect of antipyretics is based on blocking prostaglandin synthesis. In this review, we discuss recent data on the importance of prostaglandins in the febrile response, and we show that some endogenous mediators can still induce the febrile response even when known antipyretics reduce the levels of prostaglandins in the central nervous system. These studies suggest that centrally produced mediators other than prostaglandins participate in the genesis of fever. Among the most studied central mediators of fever are corticotropin-releasing factor, endothelins, chemokines, endogenous opioids, and substance P, which are discussed herein. Additionally, recent evidence suggests that these different pathways of fever induction may be activated during different pathological conditions.

Central mediators involved in the febrile response: effects of antipyretic drugs

Fever is a complex signal of inflammatory and infectious diseases. It is generally initiated when peripherally produced endogenous pyrogens reach areas that surround the hypothalamus. These peripheral endogenous pyrogens are cytokines that are produced by leukocytes and other cells, the most known of which are interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6. Because of the capacity of these molecules to induce their own synthesis and the synthesis of other cytokines, they can also be synthesized in the central nervous system. However, these pyrogens are not the final mediators of the febrile response. These cytokines can induce the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2, which produces prostaglandins. These prostanoids alter hypothalamic temperature control, leading to an increase in heat production, the conservation of heat, and ultimately fever. The effect of antipyretics is based on blocking prostaglandin synthesis. In this review, we discuss recent data on the importance of prostaglandins in the febrile response, and we show that some endogenous mediators can still induce the febrile response even when known antipyretics reduce the levels of prostaglandins in the central nervous system. These studies suggest that centrally produced mediators other than prostaglandins participate in the genesis of fever. Among the most studied central mediators of fever are corticotropin-releasing factor, endothelins, chemokines, endogenous opioids, and substance P, which are discussed herein. Additionally, recent evidence suggests that these different pathways of fever induction may be activated during different pathological conditions.

Immune challenge by intraperitoneal administration of lipopolysaccharide directs gene expression in distinct blood-brain barrier cells toward enhanced prostaglandin E(2) signaling

The cells constituting the blood-brain barrier are critical for the transduction of peripheral immune signals to the brain, but hitherto no comprehensive analysis of the signaling events that occur in these cells in response to a peripheral inflammatory stimulus has been performed. Here, we examined the inflammatory transcriptome in blood-brain barrier cells, including endothelial cells, pericytes, and perivascular macrophages, which were isolated by fluorescent-activated cell sorting, from non-immune-challenged mice and from mice stimulated by bacterial wall lipopolysaccharide. We show that endothelial cells and perivascular macrophages display distinct transcription profiles for inflammatory signaling and respond in distinct and often opposing ways to the immune stimulus. Thus, endothelial cells show induced PGE2 synthesis and transport with attenuation of PGE2 catabolism, increased expression of cytokine receptors and down-stream signaling molecules, and downregulation of adhesion molecules. In contrast, perivascular macrophages show downregulation of the synthesis of prostanoids other than PGE2 and of prostaglandin catabolism, but upregulation of interleukin-6 synthesis. Pericytes were largely unresponsive to the immune stimulation, with the exception of downregulation of proteins involved in pericyte-endothelial cell communication. While the endothelial cells account for most of the immune-induced gene expression changes in the blood-brain barrier, the response of the endothelial cells occurs in a concerted manner with that of the perivascular cells to elevate intracerebral levels of PGE2, hence emphasizing the critical role of PGE2 in immune-induced signal transduction across the blood-brain barrier.

Do nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase contribute to the heat loss responses in older males exercising in the heat?

This study evaluated the separate and combined roles of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX) in forearm sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation in older adults during intermittent exercise in the heat. Twelve healthy older (62 ± 7 years) males performed two 30 min cycling bouts at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production (400 W) in the heat (35°C, 20% relative humidity). The exercise bouts were followed by 20 and 40 min of recovery, respectively. Forearm sweat rate (ventilated capsule) and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC, laser Doppler perfusion units/mean arterial pressure) were evaluated at four skin sites that were continuously perfused via intradermal microdialysis with: (1) lactated Ringer solution (Control), (2) 10 mm ketorolac (non-selective COX inhibitor), (3) 10 mm N(G) -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; non-selective NOS inhibitor) or (4) a combination of 10 mm ketorolac + 10 mm l-NAME. Sweating was not different between the four sites during either exercise bout (main effect P = 0.92) (average of last 5 min of second exercise, Control, 0.80 ± 0.06; ketorolac, 0.77 ± 0.09; l-NAME, 0.74 ± 0.07; ketorolac + l-NAME, 0.77 ± 0.09 mg min(-1) cm(-2) ). During both exercise bouts, relative to CVC evaluated at the Control site (average of last 5 min of second exercise, 69 ± 6%max), CVC was similar at the ketorolac site (P = 0.62; 66 ± 4%max) whereas it was attenuated to a similar extent at both the l-NAME (49 ± 8%max) and ketorolac + l-NAME (54 ± 8%max) sites (both P < 0.05). Thus, we demonstrate that NOS and COX are not functionally involved in forearm sweating whereas only NOS contributes to forearm cutaneous vasodilatation in older adults during intermittent exercise in the heat.

Targeting microsomal prostaglandin E2synthase-1 (mPGES-1): the development of inhibitors as an alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

AA cascade and several key residues in the 3D structure of mPGES-1.

Deletion of prostaglandin E2 synthesizing enzymes in brain endothelial cells attenuates inflammatory fever

Fever is a hallmark of inflammatory and infectious diseases. The febrile response is triggered by prostaglandin E2 synthesis mediated by induced expression of the enzymes cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 (mPGES-1). The cellular source for pyrogenic PGE2 remains a subject of debate; several hypotheses have been forwarded, including immune cells in the periphery and in the brain, as well as the brain endothelium. Here we generated mice with selective deletion of COX-2 and mPGES1 in brain endothelial cells. These mice displayed strongly attenuated febrile responses to peripheral immune challenge. In contrast, inflammation-induced hypoactivity was unaffected, demonstrating the physiological selectivity of the response to the targeted gene deletions. These findings demonstrate that PGE2 synthesis in brain endothelial cells is critical for inflammation-induced fever.