1. Academic Validation
  2. In Vitro and In Vivo Validation of EP2-Receptor Agonism to Selectively Achieve Inhibition of Mast Cell Activity

In Vitro and In Vivo Validation of EP2-Receptor Agonism to Selectively Achieve Inhibition of Mast Cell Activity

  • Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2020 Jul;12(4):712-728. doi: 10.4168/aair.2020.12.4.712.
Judith Plaza 1 Rosa Torres 1 Adrián Urbano 1 César Picado 2 Fernando de Mora 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
  • 2 Department of Pneumology and Respiratory Allergy, Hospital Clínic i Universitari de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain.
  • 3 Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. fernando.demora@uab.cat.
Abstract

Purpose: Agonism of the prostaglandin E2 receptor, E-prostanoid receptor 2 (EP2), may represent an alternative protective mechanism in mast cell (MC)-mediated diseases. Previous studies have suggested that activation of the MC EP2 receptor prevents pathological changes in the murine models of allergic asthma. This work aimed to analytically validate the EP2 receptor on MCs as a therapeutic target.

Methods: Murine MC lines and primary cultures, and MCs bearing the human immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor were subjected to IgE-mediated activation subsequent to incubation with selective EP2 agonists. Two molecularly unrelated agonists, butaprost and CP-533536, were tested either in vitro or in 2 in vivo models of allergy.

Results: The diverse range of MC populations was consistently inhibited through selective EP2 agonism in spite of exhibiting a heterogeneous phenotype. Such inhibition occurred in both mouse and human IgE (hIgE)-mediated activation. The use of molecularly unrelated selective EP2 agonists allowed for the confirmation of the specificity of this protective mechanism. This effect was further demonstrated in 2 in vivo murine models of allergy where MCs are a key to pathological changes: cutaneous anaphylaxis in a transgenic mouse model expressing the hIgE receptor and aeroallergen-induced murine model of asthma.

Conclusions: Selective EP2 agonism is a powerful pharmacological strategy to prevent MCs from being activated through IgE-mediated mechanisms and from causing deleterious effects. The MC EP2 receptor may be an effective pharmacological target in allergic and other MC-mediated conditions.

Keywords

IgE; allergy; anaphylaxis; asthma; inflammation; mast cell; prostaglandin E receptor 2; prostaglandin E2.

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