An Important Role of Prostanoid Receptor EP2 in Host Resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Mice

作者：Kaul Vandana; Bhattacharya Debapriya; Singh Yogesh; Van Kaer Luc; Peters Golden Marc; Bishai William R; Das Gobardhan^*

来源：Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2012, 206(12): 1816-1825.

DOI：10.1093/infdis/jis609

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, resides and replicates within susceptible hosts by inhibiting host antimicrobial mechanisms. Prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)), produced by M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages, exerts a variety of immunomodulatory functions via 4 receptors (EP1-EP4), each mediating distinct PGE(2) functions. Here, we show that M. tuberculosis infection selectively upregulates EP2 messenger RNA expression in CD4(+) T cells. We found that EP2 deficiency in mice increases susceptibility to M. tuberculosis infection, which correlated with reduced antigen-specific T-cell responses and increased levels of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) T-regulatory cells. These findings have revealed an important role for EP2 in host immune defense against tuberculosis. As a G protein-coupled receptor, EP2 could serve as a target for immunotherapy of tuberculosis.

• 出版日期2012-12-15