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Role of prostaglandin E₂ receptor EP4 in the regulation of adipogenesis and adipose metabolism

YU Jing-Wei^1,2, PENG Jun¹, ZHANG Xiao-Yan³, SU Wen¹, GUAN You-Fei^3,*

¹Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China；²School of Basic Courses, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China；³Advanced Institute of Medical Science, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China

Abstract

Adipose tissue is the energy storage organ of the body, and excess energy is stored in adipocytes in the form of lipid droplets. The homeostasis of adipose tissue is the basis for the body to maintain normal metabolic activity. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an important lipid mediator in the body. It is synthesized in almost all tissues and participates in the regulation of many physiological processes such as blood pressure, glucose and lipid metabolism, and inflammation. PGE2 is abundant in white adipose tissue, where it is involved in the regulation of fat metabolism. PGE2 plays its biological role through binding to four G protein coupled receptors (prostaglandin E2 receptors), including EP-1, -2, -3, and -4. The EP4 subtype has been proved to play an important role in adipogenesis and adipose metabolism: it could inhibit adipogenesis while it was activated, whereas its knockout could promote lipolysis. This review summarized the relationship between EP4 and adipose metabolism, hoping to identify new targets of drug development for metabolic disorders.

Key words: prostaglandin E2; EP4; adipose metabolism

Received: 2018-08-08　　Accepted: 2018-12-13

Corresponding author: 管又飞　　E-mail: guanyf@dmu.edu.cn

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2019.0011

Citing This Article：

YU Jing-Wei, PENG Jun, ZHANG Xiao-Yan, SU Wen, GUAN You-Fei. Role of prostaglandin E₂ receptor EP4 in the regulation of adipogenesis and adipose metabolism. Acta Physiol Sin 2019; 71 (3): 491-496 (in Chinese with English abstract).