Prostanoids are active lipid mediators that regulate inflammatory response. Prostanoids are a subclass of

eicosanoid Eicosanoids are signaling molecules made by the enzymatic or non-enzymatic oxidation of arachidonic acid or other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that are, similar to arachidonic acid, around 20 carbon units in length. Eicosanoids are a s ...

s consisting of the prostaglandins (mediators of inflammatory and

anaphylactic Anaphylaxis is a serious, potentially fatal allergic reaction and medical emergency that is rapid in onset and requires immediate medical attention regardless of use of emergency medication on site. It typically causes more than one of the follo ...

reactions), the

thromboxane Thromboxane is a member of the family of lipids known as eicosanoids. The two major thromboxanes are thromboxane A2 and thromboxane B2. The distinguishing feature of thromboxanes is a 6-membered ether-containing ring. Thromboxane is named for i ...

s (mediators of

vasoconstriction Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, in particular the large arteries and small arterioles. The process is the opposite of vasodilation, the widening of blood vess ...

), and the

prostacyclin Prostacyclin (also called prostaglandin I2 or PGI2) is a prostaglandin member of the eicosanoid family of lipid molecules. It inhibits platelet activation and is also an effective vasodilator. When used as a drug, it is also known as epoprosten ...

s (active in the resolution phase of inflammation). Prostanoids are seen to target NSAIDS which allow for therapeutic potential. Prostanoids are present within areas of the body such as the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, respiratory and cardiology systems, reproductive tract and vascular system. Prostanoids can even be seen with aid to the water and ion transportation within cells. Prostanoids help release prostaglandins upon activation, receptors may open possibilities for treatments within different systems.

History

Prostanoids were discovered through biological research studies conducted in the 1930s. The first discovery was seen through semen by a Swedish Physiologist

Ulf von Euler Ulf Svante von Euler (7 February 1905 – 9 March 1983) was a Swedish physiologist and pharmacologist. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1970 for his work on neurotransmitters. Life Ulf Svante von Euler-Chelpin was born in ...

, who assumed they originated from the prostate. After intensive study throughout the 1960-1970s Sune K. Bergström and Bengt Ingemar Samuelsson and British biochemist Sir John Robert Vane were able to understand the function and chemical formation of Prostanoids: receiving a Nobel Prize for their analysis of prostanoids.

Biosynthesis of prostaglandins

Cyclooxygenase Cyclooxygenase (COX), officially known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS), is an enzyme (specifically, a family of isozymes, ) that is responsible for formation of prostanoids, including thromboxane and prostaglandins such as pr ...

(''COX'') catalyzes the conversion of the free essential fatty acids to prostanoids by a two-step process. In the first step, two molecules of O₂ are added as two peroxide linkages and a 5-member carbon ring is forged near the middle of the fatty acid chain. This forms the short-lived, unstable intermediate Prostaglandin G (PGG). One of the peroxide linkages sheds a single oxygen, forming PGH. ''(See diagrams and more detail at

).'' All other prostanoids originate from PGH (as PGH₁, PGH₂, or PGH₃). The image at right shows how PGH₂ (derived from Arachidonic acid) is converted: * By PGE synthetase into PGE2 (which in turn is converted into PGF2) * By PGD synthetase into PGD2 * By Prostacyclin synthase into

(PGI2) * By

Thromboxane synthase Thromboxane A synthase 1 (, platelet, cytochrome P450, family 5, subfamily A), also known as TBXAS1, is a cytochrome P450 enzyme that, in humans, is encoded by the ''TBXAS1'' gene. Function This gene encodes a member of the cytochrome P450 supe ...

into

s TXA Arachidonic acid is made up of a 20-Carbon unnatural poly unsaturated Omega-fatty acid. Arachidonic acid presents within the phospholipid bi-layer as well as in the plasma membrane of a cell. With Arachidonic acid prostaglandins are formed through synthesis and oxygenation of enzymes. Active lipids in the oxylipin family derive from the synthesis of

or Prostaglandins. The three classes of prostanoids have distinctive rings in the center of the molecule. They differ in their structures and do not share common structure as Thromboxane. The PGH compounds (parents to all the rest) have a 5-carbon ring, bridged by two oxygens (a

peroxide In chemistry, peroxides are a group of compounds with the structure , where R = any element. The group in a peroxide is called the peroxide group or peroxo group. The nomenclature is somewhat variable. The most common peroxide is hydrogen ...

.) The derived prostaglandins contain a single, unsaturated 5-carbon ring. In prostacyclins, this ring is conjoined to another oxygen-containing ring. In thromboxanes the ring becomes a 6-member ring with one oxygen. Production of PGE₂ in bacterial and viral infections appear to be stimulated by certain cytokines, e.g.,

interleukin-1 The Interleukin-1 family (IL-1 family) is a group of 11 cytokines that plays a central role in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses to infections or sterile insults. Discovery Discovery of these cytokines began with studies on t ...

References

Prostaglandins Eicosanoids {{biochem-stub

History

Biosynthesis of prostaglandins

See also

References