Discovery and drug applications of novel and essential prostanoid actions mediated by a cluster of receptors

前列腺素类是来源于血浆磷脂的生物活性脂质介质。众所周知，前列腺素类是阿司匹林类药物的靶点，但其整体作用及其分子机制尚未完全阐明。在这项研究中，我们调查是否前列腺素受体耦合到类似的信号转导通路一起工作的补偿方式。结果，我们发现前列腺素不仅参与排卵、受精和分娩等生理过程，而且参与发热和炎症等病理过程。我们进一步揭示了前列腺素诱导作用的分子机制。

Prostanoids are bioactive lipid mediators derived from plasma phospholipids. It is well-known that prostanoids are the target of aspirin-like drugs, but their whole actions and their molecular mechanisms of each known action have not fully addressed. In this study, we investigated whether prostanoid receptors coupling to similar signal transduction pathways work together in a compensatory fashion. As a result, we found that prostanoids are involved not only in physiological processes such as ovulation, fertilization and parturition, but also in pathological processes such as fever and inflammation. We further showed molecular mechanisms underlying prostanoid-induced actions.