Altered Bronchodilation and Pulmonary Inflammation in Prostanoid EP2 Receptor Knockout Mice

Small clinical studies of asthma [1–5] found that inhaled prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) induced bronchodilation and reduced the influx of inflammatory cells in the airways. PGE2 activates four receptors identified as EP1–4 [6,7]. The activation of two of those receptors, the EP2 and the EP4, leads to the stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase and increases intracellular cyclic AMP levels. Therefore, a specific EP2 or EP4 agonist could be considered as a potential treatment for asthma.