IL‐1β‐dependent activation of NF‐κB mediates PGE₂ release via the expression of cyclooxygenase‐2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase

Prostaglandin (PG) E 2 release is induced in pulmonary A549 cells by the NF‐κB‐activating stimuli interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA). Adenoviral over‐expression of IκBαΔN, a dominant NF‐κB inhibitor, prevents NF‐κB‐dependent transcription and was used to qualify the role of NF‐κB in the release of PGE 2 . IκBαΔN repressed IL‐1β‐induced, but not PMA‐induced, cycloxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase (mPGES) expression. These data conclusively demonstrate a substantial role for NF‐κB in the co‐ordinate induction of COX‐2, mPGES and in the corresponding release of PGE 2 by IL‐1β. However, other pathways are primarily responsible for PGE 2 release induced by PMA.