The molecular, functional and phylogenetic characterization of PGE receptors reveals their different roles in the immune response of the teleost fish gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.).

Prostaglandin E (PGE) plays an important role in immune activities in teleost fish, including seabream. However, receptors involved in PGE signaling, as well as the pathways activated downstream, are largely unknown. In this study, one ortholog of mammalian PTGER1, PTGER3 and PTGER4, and two of PTGER2 (Ptger2a and Ptger2b) were identified and characterized in gilthead seabream. In silico analysis showed that all these receptors possessed the organization domain of G protein-coupled receptors, with the exception of Ptger2b. The corresponding in vivo studies revealed that they were expressed in all the tissues examined, the highest mRNA levels of ptger1 and ptger3 being observed in the spleen and of ptger2a and ptger4 in the blood. Bacterial infection induced higher mRNA levels of ptger2a, ptger3 and ptger4 in peritoneal exudate (the site of bacterial injection). In addition, head kidney acidophilic granulocytes and macrophages displayed different ptger1, ptger2a, ptger3 and ptger4 expression profiles. Furthermore, in macrophages the expression of the receptors was weakly affected by stimulation with bacterial DNA or with PGE, while in acidophilic granulocytes stimulation resulted in the upregulation of ptger2a and ptger4. Taken together, these results suggest different roles for seabream PGE receptors in the regulation of the immune responses.