EP4 Receptor-Associated Protein in Macrophages Ameliorates Colitis and Colitis-Associated Tumorigenesis

PLoS Genet. 2015 Oct 6;11(10):e1005542. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005542. eCollection 2015 Oct.

Abstract

Prostaglandin E2 plays important roles in the maintenance of colonic homeostasis. The recently identified prostaglandin E receptor (EP) 4-associated protein (EPRAP) is essential for an anti-inflammatory function of EP4 signaling in macrophages in vitro. To investigate the in vivo roles of EPRAP, we examined the effects of EPRAP on colitis and colitis-associated tumorigenesis. In mice, EPRAP deficiency exacerbated colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) treatment. Wild-type (WT) or EPRAP-deficient recipients transplanted with EPRAP-deficient bone marrow developed more severe DSS-induced colitis than WT or EPRAP-deficient recipients of WT bone marrow. In the context of colitis-associated tumorigenesis, both systemic EPRAP null mutation and EPRAP-deficiency in the bone marrow enhanced intestinal polyp formation induced by azoxymethane (AOM)/DSS treatment. Administration of an EP4-selective agonist, ONO-AE1-329, ameliorated DSS-induced colitis in WT, but not in EPRAP-deficient mice. EPRAP deficiency increased the levels of the phosphorylated forms of p105, MEK, and ERK, resulting in activation of stromal macrophages in DSS-induced colitis. Macrophages of DSS-treated EPRAP-deficient mice exhibited a marked increase in the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, relative to WT mice. By contrast, forced expression of EPRAP in macrophages ameliorated DSS-induced colitis and AOM/DSS-induced intestinal polyp formation. These data suggest that EPRAP in macrophages functions crucially in suppressing colonic inflammation. Consistently, EPRAP-positive macrophages were also accumulated in the colonic stroma of ulcerative colitis patients. Thus, EPRAP may be a potential therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel disease and associated intestinal tumorigenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / complications
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / genetics*
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / pathology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / complications
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Dinoprostone / genetics
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / complications
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / genetics*
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / pathology
  • Macrophages / pathology
  • Mice
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP4 Subtype / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP4 Subtype / genetics*

Substances

  • Ptger4 protein, mouse
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP4 Subtype
  • Dinoprostone