title: Role of prostaglandin I2 in airway remodeling induced by repeated allergen challenge in mice.
abstract: Recently, we demonstrated that prostaglandin (PG)I2 has a regulatory role in allergic responses through the receptor, IP; however, the role of PGI2 in airway remodeling associated with chronic airway inflammation has not been elucidated. In the present study, we examined the role of PGI2 in allergen-induced airway remodeling using IP gene-deficient mice. Mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) with alum, and exposed daily for 3 wk to aerosolized OVA. Twenty-four hours after the final antigen inhalation, bronchoalveolar lavage, biochemical, and histopathologic examinations were performed. In wild-type mice, prolonged allergen exposure in sensitized animals induced the increases in the numbers of inflammatory leukocytes (including eosinophils and lymphocytes), levels of T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines (interleukin [IL]-4, IL-5, and IL-13), levels of OVA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E and IgG1 in serum, and amount of hydroxyproline in the right lungs associated with transforming growth factor-beta1 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, goblet cell hyperplasia and subepithelial fibrosis were also appreciated after repeated allergen challenge. In contrast, the disruption of IP gene significantly augmented all these parameters. These findings suggest that PGI2 has a regulatory role in allergen-induced airway remodeling as well as airway eosinophilic inflammation, Th2 cytokine production and IgE production, and that a PGI2 agonist is a therapeutic approach for the treatment of airway remodeling in allergic asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komai
authors.forename: Taisei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Shuh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narumiya
authors.forename: Hiroichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagai
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry*; D000534:Alum Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001249:Asthma / Q000473:pathology; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000534:Alum Compounds; D000941:Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015847:Interleukin-4; C041524:aluminum sulfate; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin; D011464:Epoprostenol; D006909:Hydroxyproline