title: COX-2 as a novel target of CRF family peptides' participating in inflammation.
abstract: In mammals, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family peptides include CRF, Urocortin (Ucn) 1, Ucn2, and Ucn3. In contrast to their systemic indirect immunosuppressive effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis, CRF family peptides act as locally expressed autocrine or paracrine pro-inflammatory factors in a series of inflammatory diseases. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the rate-limiting enzyme in metabolism of arachidonic acid, has been abundantly reported to take part in inflammatory diseases. Recently, reports indicate that CRF family peptides may play an important role in the regulation of COX-2 under inflammatory conditions. Moreover, CRF receptors are involved in this process. This review aims to highlight the current novel findings on regulation of COX-2 by CRF family peptides in inflammation. Furthermore, the relevant mechanisms are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing 210029, PR China.
authors.forename: Rongjian
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shengnan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2