Abstract
Prostaglandin endoperoxides and thromboxane A2, extremely potent contractors of the human umbilical artery are endogenously formed in the vessel (1) . /1- 14C/ arachidonic acid was incubated with umbilical artery homogenates. The product, subjected to thin layer chromatography, showed a major peak (20-40%) of radioactivity close to the reference prostaglandin E2. The labelled material, analyzed as the methyl ester trimethylsilyl ether derivative by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, demonstrated identity with 6-keto-PGF1α (lactol form), the immediate precursor of which is PGI2. Human umbilical artery strips were exposed to prostaglandin endoperoxide (PGH210-40 ng/ml) preincubated with a lyophilized pig aorta microsome preparation (0-4000 ng/ng PGH2 22°C, 90 sec) for PGI2 formation (2). With increasing amounts of microsome added the endoperoxide contraction disappeared and relaxation was obtained. PGI2 10 ng/ml or more relaxed the vessel. The potency was at least 4 times that of PGE1. The human umbilical artery thus has a high capacity to biosynthesize PGI2, a compound effectively relaxing the vessel.
1. Tuvemo, T. et al. Acta Physiol Scand 96, 145, 1976.
2. Moncada, S. et al. Nature 263, 663, 1976.
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Tuvemo, T., Hamberg, M., Jonsson, CE. et al. Biosynthesis and action of prostacyclin (PGI2) in the isolated human umbilical artery. Pediatr Res 13, 79 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197901000-00060
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197901000-00060