Prostanoid synthesis in the cerebral blood vessels of asphyxiated piglets.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of asphyxia-reventilation and hyperoxia on the cerebral blood perfusion and prostanoid production of the brain arteries and microvessels in piglets. After 10 min of asphyxia, animals were ventilated with room air, or with 100% O2. Following 4 hours of recovery, the brains were perfused, cerebral arteries were removed and microvessels were isolated from the cortex. The microvessels and the arteries were incubated with 1-14C-arachidonic acid, and the 1-14C-prostanoids were then separated by means of overpressure thin-layer chromatography and were quantitatively determined. Under control conditions, the synthesis of dilatory prostanoids dominated the arachidonate cascade both in the microvessels and in the arteries. Asphyxia and reventilation with room air did not modify the prostanoid production. O2 ventilation greatly affected the prostanoid synthesis of the microvessels, with an enhancement of PGD2 up to 247 +/- 27%. In the arteries, the production of PGI2 and of PGE2 was elevated to 272 +/- 15% and to 148 +/- 13%, respectively. These findings indicate that O2 ventilation after asphyxia substantially increases the extent of prostanoid synthesis in the cerebral blood vessels.