Vascular endothelial growth factor induction by prostaglandin E2 in human airway smooth muscle cells is mediated by E prostanoid EP2/EP4 receptors and SP-1 transcription factor binding sites.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) can increase endothelial vascular endogrowth factor A (VEGF-A) production but the mechanisms involved are unclear. Here we characterized the transcriptional mechanisms involved in human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMC). PGE2 increased VEGF-A mRNA and protein but not mRNA stability. PGE2 stimulated the activity of a transiently transfected 2068-bp (-2018 to +50) VEGF-A promoter-driven luciferase construct. Functional 5' deletional analysis mapped the PGE2 response element to the 135-bp sequence (-85/+50) of the human VEGF-A promoter. PGE2-induced luciferase activity was reduced in cells transfected with a 135-bp VEGF promoter fragment containing mutated Sp-1 binding sites but not in cells transfected with a construct containing mutated EGR-1 binding sites. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay confirmed binding of Sp-1 to the VEGF promoter. PGE2 increased phosphorylation of Sp-1 and luciferase activity of a transfected Sp-1 reporter construct. PGE receptor agonists EP2 (ONO-AE1 259) and EP4 (ONO-AE1 329) mimicked the effect of PGE2, and reverse transcription-PCR, Western blotting, and flow cytometry confirmed the presence of EP2 and EP4 receptors. VEGF protein release and Sp-1 reporter activity were increased by forskolin and isoproterenol, which increase cytosolic cAMP, and the cAMP analogue, 8-bromoadenosine-3',5'-cyclophosphoric acid. These studies suggest that PGE2 increases VEGF transcriptionally and involves the Sp-1 binding site via a cAMP-dependent mechanism involving EP2 and EP4 receptors.