Effect of Glucocorticoid and Insulin Growth Factor (IGF) on Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) Synthesis in Neonatal Cerebral Microvessels 243

Glucocorticoids and Growth factors interact with Prostaglandins (PG) particularly in the inflammatory cascade. We tested the hypothesis that steroids and IGF inhibit PG synthesis in neonatal cerebral microvessels from newborn piglets (0-3 days old). Sedated and perfused, their brains were excised and the microvessels extracted and used for primary cultures of endothelial cells. At 85% confluence (5 weeks), cortisone (COR 1 and 100ug/ml) or IGF (10 and 100ng/ml) or Control (saline) were added to the media (n=4). Media were harvested at 0, 12, 24 and 48 hrs for PGE₂ by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). Data show (table) that PGE₂ increased in the controls by 2 fold at 48hrs (p<0.05 vs time 0 hr). This effect was suppressed by Cortisone and IGF at higher doses indicating a dose responsive inhibitory effect of these drugs on PGE₂. We conclude that glucocorticoids and IGF modulate PG synthesis by cerebral microvessels and may explain in part their influence on PG mediated cerebrovascular effects.

Table 1 Table: PGE ₂ concentration (pg/ml); Mean(±SEM)