Signaling pathways involved in lipopolysaccharide stimulation of prostaglandin production by rat hypothalamic astroglial cells

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms through which bacte rial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates prostaglandin (PG) production in r at hypothalamic astroglial cells in vitro. The latter were treated with LPS alone or LPS plus antagonists of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) and nitric oxide (NO) pathways, and the subsequent changes in cyclooxygenase (COX) activity were monitored by measuring a COX end-product, prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)), released into the incubation medium. LPS produced a concentration-dependen t increase in PGE, release from astroglia after 24 h incubation; experiment s with selective antagonists showed that the increase in PGE(2) release ind uced by LPS may be, at least in part, mediated by IL-1 and NO.