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Prostaglandin E2 is a novel inducer of oncostatin-M expression in macrophages and microglia

Pavle Repovic1, Etty N Benveniste

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294.

Insights

Microglia in the brain produce Oncostatin-M (OSM) when stimulated by prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)). This signaling pathway involves G(s)-proteins and protein kinase A (PKA), suggesting astrocyte-microglia collaboration in CNS inflammation.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Cytokine Biology
  • Inflammation Research

Background:

  • Oncostatin-M (OSM) is a cytokine in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family, implicated in inflammatory conditions.
  • Monocytes-macrophages and T-cells are known OSM producers.
  • Microglia, the brain's resident macrophages, were investigated as a potential source of OSM in the central nervous system (CNS).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify microglia as a source of OSM in the CNS.
  • To investigate prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) as a novel inducer of OSM.
  • To elucidate the signaling pathway involved in PGE(2)-mediated OSM induction.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated OSM expression in human and murine microglia, monocytes, and macrophages.
  • Utilized activators of G(s)-proteins (cholera toxin), adenylate cyclase (forskolin), and cAMP analogs (dibutyryl-cAMP).
  • Employed inhibitors of adenylate cyclase (2',5'-dideoxyadenosine) and protein kinase A (PKA) (H-89, dominant-negative PKA construct).
  • Examined OSM and PGE(2) production in astrocyte-monocyte cocultures stimulated with IL-1beta or TNF-alpha.
  • Assessed the role of PGE(2) using indomethacin (prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor) and PGE(2) depletion.

Main Results:

  • PGE(2) was identified as a novel inducer of OSM in microglia, monocytes, and macrophages.
  • PGE(2) induction of OSM expression involves signaling through G(s)-proteins, adenylate cyclase, and PKA.
  • Other cAMP signaling activators, like norepinephrine and PGE(1), also induced OSM.
  • In astrocyte-monocyte cocultures, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha induced both PGE(2) and OSM production.
  • Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis or depletion of PGE(2) abrogated IL-1beta/TNF-alpha-induced OSM, confirming PGE(2)'s crucial role.

Conclusions:

  • Microglia are a source of OSM in the CNS.
  • PGE(2) is a key mediator for OSM induction in CNS myeloid cells via the cAMP/PKA pathway.
  • Astrocyte-microglia interactions, involving PGE(2) production, contribute to OSM expression in the CNS during inflammation.

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