Issue Archive

Role of prostaglandin E₂ and its receptors in chronic liver disease

LIN Zhi-Qiang¹, YAO Yao², ZHANG Yu-Fei³, ZHANG Xiao-Yan¹, GUAN You-Fei^3,*

¹Health Science Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China；²Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226000, China；³Advanced Institute for Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China

Abstract

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a major global health burden in terms of growing morbidity and mortality. Although many conditions can cause CLD, leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), viral hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury (DILI), alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are the most common culprits. Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), produced in the liver, is an important lipid mediator derived from the ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, arachidonic acid, and plays a critical role in hepatic homeostasis. The physiological effects of PGE₂ are mediated through four classes of E-type prostaglandin (EP) receptors, namely EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4. In recent years, an increasing number of studies has been done to clarify the effects of PGE₂ and EP receptors in regulating liver function and the pathogenesis of CLD to create a new potential clinical impact. In this review, we overview the biosynthesis and regulation of PGE2 and discuss the role of its synthesizing enzymes and receptors in the maintenance of normal liver function and the development and progress of CLD. We also discuss the potential of the PGE₂-EP receptors system in treating CLD with various etiologies.

Key words: chronic liver disease; prostaglandin E2; EP1; EP2; EP3; EP4

Received: 　　Accepted:

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

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2024.0022

Citing This Article：

LIN Zhi-Qiang, YAO Yao, ZHANG Yu-Fei, ZHANG Xiao-Yan, GUAN You-Fei. Role of prostaglandin E₂ and its receptors in chronic liver disease. Acta Physiol Sin 2024; 76 (2): 329-340