Prostaglandin D₂ receptor (DP₁) is a G-protein coupled receptor, encoded by the PTGDR gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

, for prostaglandin D₂

Prostaglandin D2

Prostaglandin D2 is a prostaglandin that binds to the receptor PTGDR, as well as CRTH2. It is a major prostaglandin produced by mast cells – recruits Th2 cells, eosinophils, basophils. In mammalian organs, large amounts of PGD2 are found in the brain, in mast cells and found nowhere else...

.

Mechanism

DP₁ is a G-protein-coupled receptor. Its activity is mainly mediated by G-S proteins

Gs alpha subunit

The Gs alpha subunit is a heterotrimeric G protein subunit that activates the cAMP-dependent pathway by activating adenylate cyclase.-Receptors:The G protein-coupled receptors that couple to this kind of G-protein include:...

 that stimulate adenylate cyclase

Adenylate cyclase

Adenylate cyclase is part of the G protein signalling cascade, which transmits chemical signals from outside the cell across the membrane to the inside of the cell ....

 resulting in an elevation of intracellular cAMP and Ca²⁺.

Function

Knockout studies in mice suggest that the ligand of this receptor, prostaglandin D₂ (PGD₂), functions as a mast cell

Mast cell

A mast cell is a resident cell of several types of tissues and contains many granules rich in histamine and heparin...

-derived mediator to trigger asthmatic responses. It also causes vasodilation

Vasodilation

Vasodilation refers to the widening of blood vessels resulting from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, particularly in the large arteries, smaller arterioles and large veins. The process is essentially the opposite of vasoconstriction, or the narrowing of blood vessels. When...

Further reading