Abstract
Prostaglandins (PGs) are one kind of the autacoids derived from cyclooxygenase-initiated arachidonic acid metabolism, which exert effects by interacting with their specific G protein-coupled receptors in the vicinity of their production. Similar to the neurotransmission in synapse, released PGs should be removed rapidly from extracellular space to terminate its signaling. It is known that PG inactivation is involved in active uptake into the cell followed by cytoplasmic oxidation. PGs are charged organic anions at physiological pH. Therefore, a carrier-mediated membrane transport for PGs was hypothesized. In 1995, the group of Schuster identified the first prostaglandin transporter PGT, leading to the accumulation of information concerning individual molecules involved in membrane permeation of PGs such as SLC22 organic anion transporters (OATs), multidrug resistance protein MRP4, and organic solute transporter OSTα-OSTβ. Recent advances in research on the membrane transport of PGs are reviewed in this paper.
