Mucus hypersecretion is a prominent feature of respiratory diseases, and MUC5B is a major airway mucin. Mucin gene expression can be affected by inflammatory mediators, including prostaglandin (PG) D 2, an inflammatory mediator synthesized by hematopoietic PGD synthase (H-PGDS). PGD 2 binds to either D-prostanoid receptor (DP1) or chemoattractant receptor homologous molecule expressed on T-helper type 2 cells (CRTH2). We investigated the mechanisms by which PGD 2 induces MUC5B gene expression in airway epithelial cells. Western blot analysis showed that H-PGDS was highly expressed in nasal polyps. Similar results were obtained for PGD 2 expression. In addition, we could clearly detect the expressions of both H-PGDS and DP1 in nasal epithelial cells but not CRTH2. We demonstrated that PGD 2 increased MUC5B gene expression in normal human nasal epithelial cells as well as in NCI-H292 cells in vitro. S5751, a DP1 antagonist, inhibited PGD 2 -induced MUC5B expression, whereas a CRTH2 antagonist (OC0459) did not. These data suggest that PGD 2 induced MUC5B expression via DP1. Pretreatment with extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor (PD98059) blocked both PGD 2 -induced ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and MUC5B expression. Proximity ligation assays showed direct interaction between RSK1 and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Stimulation with PGD 2 caused an increase in intracellular cAMP levels, whereas intracellular Ca 2؉ did not have such an effect. PGD 2 -induced MUC5B mRNA levels were regulated by CREB via direct interaction with two cAMP-response element sites (؊921/؊914 and ؊900/؊893). Finally, we demonstrated that PGD 2 can induce MUC5B overproduction via ERK MAPK/ RSK1/CREB signaling and that DP1 receptor may have suppressive effects in controlling MUC5B overproduction in the airway.Mucus secretion in the airway, including the nasal and paranasal sinus cavities, is drained by the mucociliary transport system (1). Normal mucus secretion is essential for survival (2), but upregulation of mucin gene expression is a major manifestation of chronic airway diseases such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis (3, 4). Patients suffering from these diseases have pathological abnormalities in both the submucosal glands and surface epithelium, characterized by inflammation, increased mucus cell number, and increased airway mucus. Several classes of inflammatory mediators have been implicated in the process of mucus hypersecretion based on their ability to stimulate secretion from cultured cells and tissue explants (5). These inflammatory mediators are lipopolysaccharides (6), reactive oxygen species (7), and arachidonic acid metabolites (8, 9).A total of 20 different mucin genes have been identified and subdivided into two groups, membrane-bound and secreted mucins, according to Human Genome Mapping conventions. The secreted mucins are MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC6, and MUC19 (10 -13). Mucins are primarily synthesized by two different cell types in the airway tract, namely...