Prostaglandin E 2 and the suppression of phagocyte innate immune responses in different organs

Abstract

The local and systemic production of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) and its actions in phagocytes lead to immunosuppressive conditions. PGE 2 is produced at high levels during inflammation, and its suppressive effects are caused by the ligation of the E prostanoid receptors EP 2 and EP 4 , which results in the production of cyclic AMP. However, PGE 2 also exhibits immunostimulatory properties due to binding to EP 3 , which results in decreased cAMP levels. The various guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) that are coupled to the different EP receptors account for the pleiotropic roles of PGE 2 in different disease states. Here, we discuss the production of PGE 2 and the actions of this prostanoid in phagocytes from different tissues, the relative contribution of PGE 2 to the modulation of innate immune responses, and the novel therapeutic opportunities that can be used to control inflammatory responses