Publications

• Preferential localization of prostamide/prostaglandin F synthase in myelin sheaths of the central nervous system.

  Yoshikawa K., Takei S., Hasegawa-Ishii S., Chiba Y., Furukawa A., Kawamura N., Hosokawa M., Woodward D.F., Watanabe K., Shimada A.

  Prostaglandin (PG) F(₂α) is a product of cyclooxygenase (COX)-catalyzed metabolism of arachidonic acid and exerts biological functions in various tissues. Prostaglandin ethanolamide (prostamide) F(₂α) is a COX-2-catalyzed metabolite of arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide) that induces pharmacolo ... >> More

  Prostaglandin (PG) F(₂α) is a product of cyclooxygenase (COX)-catalyzed metabolism of arachidonic acid and exerts biological functions in various tissues. Prostaglandin ethanolamide (prostamide) F(₂α) is a COX-2-catalyzed metabolite of arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide) that induces pharmacological actions in ocular tissues. Although PGF(₂α) is one of the most abundant prostaglandins in the brain, function of PGF(₂α) in the central nervous system (CNS) has not been extensively investigated. Recently identified prostamide/PGF synthase catalyzes the reductions of prostamide H₂ to prostamide F(₂α) and PGH₂ to PGF(₂α), chiefly in the CNS. We examined tissue distribution of the enzyme in the CNS by immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence, and immuno-electron microscopy. We confirmed histological findings by immunofluorescence analyses of brain cell cultures. Prostamide/PGF synthase was expressed preferentially in the white matter bundles of the entire CNS of adult mice with less marked expression in neuronal cell bodies. The enzyme was colocalized with myelin basic protein (MBP) in myelin sheaths but not in axons. At the ultrastructural level, the enzyme was localized to myelin sheaths. Expression of the enzyme increased between P9 and P14 during the postnatal development, presumably in accordance with myelinogenesis. Cultured oligodendrocytes at 7 days in vitro expressed the enzyme in cytoplasmic processes where the enzyme was colocalized with MBP. Immunoreactivity for COX-2 was detected in white matter and cultured oligodendrocytes. Relatively selective localization of prostamide/PGF synthase suggests that myelin sheaths of the CNS may serve as the sites for producing prostamide F(₂α) and/or PGF(₂α), which may contribute to the formation and maintenance of central myelin. << Less

  Brain Res. 1367:22-32(2011) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

• Molecular characterization of a novel type of prostamide/prostaglandin F synthase, belonging to the thioredoxin-like superfamily.

  Moriuchi H., Koda N., Okuda-Ashitaka E., Daiyasu H., Ogasawara K., Toh H., Ito S., Woodward D.F., Watanabe K.

  Prostaglandin F (PGF) ethanolamide (prostamide F) synthase, which catalyzed the reduction of prostamide H(2) to prostamide F(2alpha), was found in mouse and swine brain. The enzyme was purified from swine brain, and its amino acid sequence was defined. The mouse enzyme consisted of a 603-bp open r ... >> More

  Prostaglandin F (PGF) ethanolamide (prostamide F) synthase, which catalyzed the reduction of prostamide H(2) to prostamide F(2alpha), was found in mouse and swine brain. The enzyme was purified from swine brain, and its amino acid sequence was defined. The mouse enzyme consisted of a 603-bp open reading frame coding for a 201-amino acid polypeptide with a molecular weight of 21,669. The amino acid sequence placed the enzyme in the thioredoxin-like superfamily with Cys(44) being the active site. The enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli as well as the native enzyme catalyzed not only the reduction of prostamide H(2) to prostamide F(2alpha) but also that of PGH(2) to PGF(2alpha). The V(max) and K(m) values for prostamide H(2) were about 0.25 micromol/min.mg of protein and 7.6 microm, respectively, and those for PGH(2) were about 0.69 micromol/min.mg of protein and 6.9 microm, respectively. Neither PGE(2) nor PGD(2) served as a substrate for this synthase. Based on these data, we named the enzyme prostamide/PGF synthase. Although the enzyme showed a broad specificity for reductants, reduced thioredoxin preferentially served as a reducing equivalent donor for this enzyme. Moreover, Northern and Western blot analyses in addition to the prostamide F synthase activity showed that the enzyme was mainly distributed in the brain and spinal cord, and the immunohistochemical study in the spinal cord showed that the enzyme was found mainly in the cytosol. These results suggest that prostamide/PGF synthase may play an important functional role in the central nervous system. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 283:792-801(2008) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

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