title: Prostaglandin E(2) induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in rat cortical cells.
abstract: Up-regulation of neuronal cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the elevation in prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) have been reported to occur after cerebral ischemic insult. To evaluate whether the COX-2 reaction product PGE(2) is directly related to induction of apoptosis in neuronal cells, the effect of PGE(2) on cell viability was examined in rat cortical cells. PGE(2) induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner (5-25 microM) 48 h after addition to the cells, which was characterized by cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation or fragmentation, and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Neither 17-phenyl trinor-prostaglandin E(2) (an EP1 agonist) or sulprostone (an EP3 agonist) induced cell death, whereas butaprost (an EP2 agonist) induced apoptotic cell death. In addition, PGE(2) activated caspase-3 in a time-dependent manner until 24 h after treatment. The apoptosis induced by PGE(2) was prevented by a caspase-3 inhibitor in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate also induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner (20-100 microM). These results suggest that PGE(2), acting via an EP2-like receptor, induces apoptosis in neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokuriku University, Kanazawa, 920-1181 Japan. t-takadera@hokuriku-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tsuneo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takadera
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yumoto
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tozuka
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohyashiki
mesh_terms: D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000378:metabolism; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D053148:Caspase 3; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D020169:Caspases / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D011448:Prostaglandin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D018078:Receptors, Prostaglandin E / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D058306:Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP1 Subtype; D058307:Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP2 Subtype; D058308:Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP3 Subtype; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C092396:17-phenyltrinorprostaglandin E2; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011448:Prostaglandin Antagonists; C545637:Ptger1 protein, rat; C545646:Ptger2 protein, rat; C545649:Ptger3 protein, rat; D018078:Receptors, Prostaglandin E; D058306:Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP1 Subtype; D058307:Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP2 Subtype; D058308:Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP3 Subtype; C016767:sulprostone; D003994:Bucladesine; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases; D000527:Alprostadil; C048491:butaprost; D015232:Dinoprostone