title: Retinoic acid enhances prostaglandin E2 production through increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 in rat brain microglia.
abstract: Retinoic acid (RA) is a well-known antiinflammatory agent. In this study, we show that RA has a dual effect on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in inflammatory activated microglia, the resident brain macrophages. After treatment of microglia with LPS or thrombin, COX-2 expression was induced in two phases, specifically, an initial increase at about 12 hr after stimulation followed by a decrease, and another increase at about 48-72 hr. However, PGE(2) and 15d-PGJ(2) were detected at about 12 hr, and the levels continuously increased thereafter. Interestingly, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) suppressed the expression of early-phase COX-2 but augmented late-phase COX-2 and inhibited iNOS in the whole time sequence. ATRA enhanced PGE(2) production but had little effect on 15d-PGJ(2). Moreover, ATRA selectively up-regulated the expression of a PGE(2) synthase, mPGES-1, but had little effect on the PGD(2) synthase, H-PGDS. The results collectively suggest that ATRA modulates microglial responses to inflammatory stimulators, particularly at the late phase, via enhancement of COX-2 expression and PGE(2) production.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Graduate Program, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Kyunggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Beomsue
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jee-Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung-Soon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ilo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jou
authors.forename: Eun-Hye
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Joe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008861:Microsomes / Q000378:metabolism; D000071876:Prostaglandin-E Synthases; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013917:Thrombin / Q000633:toxicity; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014212:Tretinoin; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D013917:Thrombin; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; D000071876:Prostaglandin-E Synthases; D015232:Dinoprostone