Prostaglandin E2 receptor 2, also known as EP2, is a prostaglandin receptor for prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) encoded by the human gene PTGER2: it is one of four identified EP receptors, the others being EP1, EP3, and EP4, which bind with and mediate cellular responses to PGE2 and also, but with lesser affinity and responsiveness, certain other prostanoids (see Prostaglandin receptors). EP has been implicated in various physiological and pathological responses.
Gene The PTGER2 gene is located on human chromosome 14 at position p22.1 (i.e. 14q22.1), contains 2 introns and 3 exons, and codes for a G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) of the rhodopsin-like receptor family, Subfamily A14 (see rhodopsin-like receptors#Subfamily A14).
Expression EP2 is widely distributed in humans. Its protein is expressed in human small intestine, lung, media of arteries and arterioles of the kidney, thymus, uterus, brain cerebral cortex, brain striatum, brain hippocampus, corneal epithelium, corneal choriocapillaries, Myometriuml cells, eosinophiles, sclera of the eye, articular cartilage, the corpus cavernosum of the penis, and airway smooth muscle cells; its mRNA is expressed in gingival fibroblasts, monocyte-derived dendritic cells, aorta, corpus cavernosum of the penis, articular cartilage, airway smooth muscle, and airway epithelial cells. In rats, the receptor protein and/or mRNA has been found in lung, spleen, intestine, skin, kidney, liver, long bones, and rather extensively throughout the brain and other parts of the central nervous system. EP2 expression in fibroblasts from the lungs of mice with bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and humans with Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is greatly reduced. In both instances, this reduced expression was associated with hypermethylation of CpG dinucleotide sites located in the first 420 base pairs upstream of the PTGER2 gene transcription start site of these fibroblasts. This suggests that EP2 expression is regulated by this methylation.
Ligands
Activating ligands The following standard prostaglandins have the following relative efficacies in binding to and activating EP2: PGE2>PGF2alpha>=PGI2>PGD2. The receptor binding affinity Dissociation constant Kd (i.e. ligand concentration needed to bind with 50% of available EP1 receptors) is ~13 nM for PGE2 and ~10 nM for PGE1 with the human receptor and ~12 nM for PGE2 with the mouse receptor. Because PGE2 activates multiple prostanoid receptors and has a short half-life in vivo due to its rapidly metabolism in cells by omega oxidation and beta oxidation, metabolically resistant EP2-selective activators are useful for the study of this receptor's function and could be clinically useful for the treatment of certain diseases. There are several such agonists including butaprost free acid and ONO-AE1-259-01 which have Ki inhibitory binding values (see Biochemistry#Receptor/ligand binding affinity) of 32 and 1.8 NM, respectively, and therefore are respectively ~2.5-fold less and 7-fold more potent than PGE2.
Inhibiting ligands PF-04418948 (Ki=16 nM), TG4-155 (Ki=9.9 nM), TG8-4, and TG6-129 are selective competitive antagonists for EP2 that have been used for studies in animal models of human diseases. Many of the earlier EP2 receptor antagonists used for such studies exhibited poor receptor selectivity, inhibiting, for example, other EP receptors.
Mechanism of cell activation EP2 is classified as a relaxant type of prostanoid receptor based on its ability, upon activation, to relax certain types of smooth muscle (see Prostaglandin receptors). When initially bound to PGE2 or any other of its agonists, it mobilizes G proteins containing the Gs alpha subunit (i.e. Gαs)-G beta-gamma complexes (i.e. Gβγ). The Gαs- Gβγ complexes dissociate into their Gαs and Gβγ subunits which in turn regulate cell signaling pathways. In particular, Gαs stimulates adenylyl cyclase to raise cellular levels of cAMP thereby activating PKA; PKA activates various types of signaling molecules such as the transcription factor CREB which lead to different types of functional responses depending on cell type. EP2 also activates the a) GSK-3 pathway which regulates cell migratory responses and innate immune responses including pro-inflammatory cytokine and interleukin production and b) Beta-catenin pathway which regulates not only cell–cell adhesion but also activates the Wnt signaling pathway which, in turn, stimulates the transcription of genes responsible for regulating cell migration and proliferation. In many of these respects, EP2 actions resemble those of another type of relaxant prostanoid receptor, EP4 but differs from the contractile prostanoid receptors, EP1 and EP3 receptors which mobilize G proteins containing the Gαq-Gβγ complex. EP2 also differs from all the other prostaglandin receptors in that it fails to undergo homologous desensitization. That is, following agonist-induced activation, the other prostaglandin (as well as most types of G protein coupled receptors) quickly become desensitized, often internalized, and whether or not internalized, incapable of activating their G protein targets. This effect limits the duration and extent to which agonists can stimulate cells. EP2, by failing to become desensitized, is able to function over prolong periods and later time points than other prostaglandin receptors and therefore potentially able to contribute to more delayed and chronic phases of cellular and tissue responses.
Functions Studies using animals genetically engineered to lack EP2 and supplemented by studies examining the actions of EP2 receptor antagonists and agonists in animals as well as animal and human tissues indicate that this receptor serves various functions.
Eye When applied topically into the eyes of rodents, cats, rhesus monkeys, and humans PGE2 acts, apparently acting at least in part through EP2, decreases intraocular pressure by stimulating increases in the drainage of aqueous humor through the uveoskceral pathway, the principal aqueous humor outflow pathway in the eye.
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