Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2026, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (9): 4076-4088.doi: 10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-25-00089

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Prostaglandins: Key players in immunomodulation of the nervous system

Ziqin Wang1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Ying Sun6, Minjie Luo1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Nina He1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Zhongchi Wen1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Zuzhen Wang1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Yonglong Zhang1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Jie Zhao1, 3, 4, 5, *, Ying Liu1, 2, 3, 4, 5, *   

  1. 1Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China; 
    2Department of Pathophysiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China; 
    3National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China; 
    4Sepsis Translational Medicine Key Lab of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan Province, China; 
    5National Medicine Functional Experimental Teaching Center, Changsha, Hunan Province, China; 
    6Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Online:2026-09-15 Published:2026-05-16
  • Contact: Ying Liu, MD, liu1977ying@126.com; Jie Zhao, MD, steelzj@csu.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Nos. 82172147 (to YL), 81571880 (to YL), 81373147 (to YL), 30972870 (to YL), 30901555 (to JZ); the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, Nos. 2021JJ30900 (to YL), 2016JJ2157 (to JZ); and Construction Project of High-Level Hospital of Jiangsu Province, No. LCZX202403 (to YS).

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Abstract:

As a class of bioactive substances that play important roles in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, prostaglandins have attracted increasing research attention. Published studies have identified the molecular characteristics of prostaglandins in peripheral organs, the enzymes involved in prostaglandin biosynthesis, and prostaglandin receptors. Some studies have also explored the characteristics of prostaglandins and their functions in the central nervous system. In particular, for immunomodulation, prostaglandins in the brain show a unique immunosuppressive effect, which is of great importance for maintaining brain immune homeostasis and preventing excessive immune responses. In this review, we review the biosynthesis and degradation of prostaglandins, discuss the regulatory effects of prostaglandin systems on the immune cells of the nervous system, and explore the therapeutic potential of targeting prostaglandin systems for neurological diseases, thereby providing new perspectives for the treatment of these diseases. Overall, prostaglandins play important roles in the immunomodulation of the nervous system, and the complexity of the underlying processes depends on the variety and types of specific receptors and, more importantly, the cell types prostaglandins act on. Therefore, additional in-depth studies of the specific mechanisms involving prostaglandins in immunomodulation, including the interactions among different types of prostaglandins and their roles in neuropathological conditions, are essential. The prostaglandin signaling pathway may represent another important direction for the development of new drugs for neurological diseases, and the combination of prostaglandin system targets with other therapies (such as immunomodulatory drugs and gene therapy) may yield better results.

Key words: autoimmune neurological diseases, cerebrovascular destructive disease, immune cells of the nervous system, immunomodulatory, nervous system, neuralgia and chronic pain, neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammation, prostaglandin, prostaglandin receptor