title: Expression of mouse membrane-associated prostaglandin E2 synthase-2 (mPGES-2) along the urogenital tract.
abstract: Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) is the most common prostanoid and has a variety of bioactivities including a crucial role in urogenital function. Multiple enzymes are involved in its biosynthesis. Among 3 PGE(2) terminal synthetic enzymes, membrane-associated PGE(2) synthase-2 (mPGES-2) is the most recently identified, and its role remains uncharacterized. In previous studies, membrane-associated PGE(2) synthase-1 (mPGES-1) and cytosolic PGE(2) synthase (cPGES) were reported to be expressed along the urogenital tracts. Here we report the genomic structure and tissue distribution of mPGES-2 in the urogenital system. Analysis of several bioinformatic databases demonstrated that mouse mPGES-2 spans 7 kb and consists of 7 exons. The mPGES-2 promoter contains multiple Sp1 sites and a GC box without a TATA box motif. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that constitutive mPGES-2 mRNA was most abundant in the heart, brain, kidney and small intestine. In the urogenital system, mPGES-2 was highly expressed in the renal cortex, followed by the renal medulla and ovary, with lower levels in the ureter, bladder and uterus. Immunohistochemistry studies indicated that mPGES-2 was ubiquitously expressed along the nephron, with much lower levels in the glomeruli. In the ureter and bladder, mPGES-2 was mainly localized to the urothelium. In the reproductive system, mPGES-2 was restricted to the epithelial cells of the testis, epididymis, vas deferens and seminal vesicle in males, and oocytes, stroma cells and corpus luteum of the ovary and epithelial cells of the oviduct and uterus in females. This expression pattern is consistent with an important role for mPGES-2-mediated PGE(2) in urogenital function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
authors.forename: Guangrui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yahua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mingfen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Zhiwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Breyer
authors.forename: Youfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000201:enzymology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000201:enzymology; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D000071876:Prostaglandin-E Synthases; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000201:enzymology; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012313:RNA; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; D000071876:Prostaglandin-E Synthases; C000605865:Ptges protein, mouse; C000605866:Ptges2 protein, mouse