Pharmaceutical Biochemistry

1. Aspirin-like drugs elicit their therapeutic effects through suppression of biosynthesis of prostaglandins (PGs), which exert a wide variety of actions by acting on the PG receptors on the neighboring cells (Fig.). The final output of PG actions has been shown to depend on both intracellular and extracellular circumstances, and their exact molecular mechanisms remain elusive. To clarify these points, we examine the effect of PG receptor deficiency on several processes and therein molecular events in the nervous, immune and reproductive systems.
2. Identification of tissue-specific molecular function of mast cells and its application to drug discovery and prevention of immune diseases.
3. Regulation mechanism of esophageal squamous cancer by micro RNAs (miRs) and its application to cancer therapy.

Fig.1.
Five prostaglandins synthesized by cyclooxygenase pathway exert a wide variety of actions via eight types and subtypes of receptors expressed on neighboring cells.

Key Words
Prostaglandins, Prostaglandin receptors, Eicosanoids, Aspirin, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Lipid mediators, Metabolome, Single cell-based analysis, Knock-out mice, GPCR, Structure-function relationship, Acute inflammation, Allergy, Auto-immune diseases, Chronic inflammation, Mast cells, Inate immunity, Acquired immunity, Female reproduction, Metabolic diseases, Contact dermatitis, Esophageal cancer, Micro-RNA, Transcriptome, Zebrafish, Development, Hematopoietic stem cells, Angiogenesis