Differential production of prostaglandins D2 and E2 and of an unusual prostanoid by chick spinal cord and meninges in vitro

15-Hydroperoxy-PGE2 : Intermediate in Mammalian and Algal Prostaglandin Biosynthesis

Arachidonic‐acid‐derived prostaglandins (PGs), specifically PGE₂, play a central role in inflammation and numerous immunological reactions. The enzymes of PGE₂ biosynthesis are important pharmacological targets for anti‐inflammatory drugs. Besides mammals, certain edible marine algae possess a comprehensive repertoire of bioactive arachidonic‐acid‐derived oxylipins including PGs that may account for food poisoning. Described here is the analysis of PGE₂ biosynthesis in the red macroalga Gracilaria vermiculophylla that led to the identification of 15‐hydroperoxy‐PGE₂, a novel precursor of PGE₂ and 15‐keto‐PGE₂. Interestingly, this novel precursor is also produced in human macrophages where it represents a key metabolite in an alternative biosynthetic PGE₂ pathway in addition to the well‐established arachidonic acid‐PGG₂‐PGH₂‐PGE₂ route. This alternative pathway of mammalian PGE₂ biosynthesis may open novel opportunities to intervene with inflammation‐related diseases.

Comparative study of prostaglandin E2 production in chick spinal cord and meninges

In chick spinal cord the presence of low affinity (KD = 2.2 microM) receptors for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) raises the question whether spinal cord possesses a PGE2 biosynthetic capacity able to activate these receptors. The production of PGE2 in spinal cord and meninges was investigated by enzyme immunoassay. Spinal cord exhibited a 30- to 100-fold lower PGE2 biosynthetic capacity compared to meninges, but can generate PGE2 resulting in micromolar concentrations, sufficient to activate the low affinity PGE2 receptors. It is suggested that in physiological conditions, PGE2 synthesized within the spinal cord might locally activate the low affinity PGE2 receptors, whereas in pathological situations, after disruption of the blood-spinal cord barrier, PGE2 produced by the meninges might be accessible to spinal cord PGE2 receptors, and thus largely contribute to their saturation.

Biosynthesis of prostaglandin D2 by motoneurons and dorsal horn microneurons: a biochemical and high resolution immunocytochemical study in chick spinal cord

Prostaglandin D2 is one of the major prostanoids formed from [14C]arachidonic acid by the central nervous system. The aim of the present study is to specify the prostaglandin D2 biosynthetic capacity in the chick spinal cord and to identify the cell type involved in this synthesis. A highly specific and sensitive enzyme immunoassay allowed us to demonstrate that the amount of newly formed prostaglandin D2 increases proportionally with the concentration of free arachidonic acid of either exogenous or endogenous origin and reaches concentration values ranging from 10(-9) to 10(-6) M. The sites of prostaglandin D2 synthesis were localized in Vibratome sections of spinal cord after incubation with antibodies raised against glutathione-independent prostaglandin D synthase; controls were performed with anti-glutathione-dependent prostaglandin D synthase antibodies and non-immune rabbit or goat serum. After immunoprocessing, electron microscope examination revealed that the specific immunoreactivity was confined to small neurons of laminae II and III in the dorsal horn and to motoneurons in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. The immunodeposits were associated with rough endoplasmic reticulum profiles distributed throughout the dorsal horn neurons or restricted to limited subsurface areas of perikarya and dendrites in motoneurons. Since the immunoreactive neurons in the dorsal horn were closely related to blood capillaries, prostaglandin D2 may be suspected to play a role in the regulation of the microcirculation. The accumulation of prostaglandin D synthase in motoneuron areas facing astrocytic membrane stacks suggests that prostaglandin D2 could interact with astrocytic functions.