%0 Journal Article
%T Identification of prostaglandin receptors in human ureters
%A Matthias Oll
%A Claudia Baumann
%A Turang E Behbahani
%A Alexander von Ruecker
%A Stefan C M¨¹ller
%A J£¿rg Ellinger
%J BMC Urology
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2490-12-35
%X The expression pattern of PTGER1, PTGER2, PTGER3, PTGER4 and PTGFR was determined in human distal, mid and proximal ureter and renal pelvis samples using immunohistochemistry (protein levels) and quantitative real-time PCR (mRNA).PTGER1 was highly expressed in most samples irrespective of the ureteral localization; however, urothelial cells had higher levels of PTGER1 than smooth muscle cells. PTGFR was also moderately to strongly expressed in urothelial and smooth muscle cells. In comparison, PTGER2-4 expression was mostly unexpressed or weakly expressed in urothelial and smooth cells in all regions.Our data indicate high levels of PTGER1 in ureters.Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) activity and the concurrent reduction of prostaglandin synthesis via non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are reported to reduce pain, pressure and ureteral contractility in patients experiencing ureteric colic or obstruction [1]. The synthesis of prostaglandins in patients with obstructed ureters contributes to alterations in renal hemodynamic function during ureteral obstruction, thus recent studies indicate NSAIDs to be beneficial in these patients. Especially COX2 mRNA has been shown to be upregulated in obstructed ureters and represents a valuable pharmaceutical target in patients with urolithiasis [2]. Potential toxic side effects of COX inhibitors include a decrease in renal perfusion, inhibition of platelet aggregation and gastric ulcerations. Beside COX-inhibitors, prostanoids (PG) represent an estimable physiological target in obstructed ureters: Granting that PGs constitute an heterogeneous group, PGF2a (prostaglandin F2a) and PGD2 (prostaglandin D2) cause ureteral contractility, PGE2 (prostaglandin E2) acts condition-dependent via four receptor subtypes (PTGER1-4) while PTGER1 (prostaglandin E receptor 1; alias EP1) and PTGER3 (prostaglandin E receptor 3; EP3) induce smooth-muscle contractility and PTGER2 (prostaglandin E receptor 2; EP2) and PTGER4 (prostaglandin
%K Prostaglandin receptor
%K PTGER1
%K EP1
%K Ureter
%K Cyclooxygenase
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2490/12/35