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Updated: May 20, 2026

Screening Assays to Characterize Novel Endothelial Regulators Involved in the Inflammatory Response
Published on: September 15, 2017
PGI2 as a regulator of inflammatory diseases
Stacy L Dorris1, R Stokes Peebles
1Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-2650, USA.
Abstract:
Prostacyclin, or PGI(2), is an end product derived from the sequential metabolism of arachidonic acid via cyclooxygenase and PGI synthase (PGIS). The receptor for PGI(2), IP, can be found on a variety of cell types and signaling through this receptor exhibits broad physiological effects. Historically, PGI(2) has been understood to play a role in cardiovascular health, specifically having powerful vasodilatory effects via relaxation of smooth muscle and inhibiting of platelet aggregation. For these reasons, PGI(2) has a long history of use for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Only recently, its importance as an immunomodulatory agent has been investigated. PGI(2) regulates both the innate and adaptive immune systems and its effects are, for the most part, thought to be anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive in nature, which may have implications for its further clinical use.
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