Prostaglandin E2 in human gingiva in health and disease and its stimulation by female sex steroids.

The levels of prostaglandin E2 were measured by means of radioimmunoassay in 12 clinically normal and 24 chronically inflamed human gingival tissue homogenates. The average values were found to be 16 and 285 pmol/gm wet weight of the normal and inflamed samples, respectively. Addition of estradiol-17beta alone or a mixture of estradiol-17beta and progesterone to incubation media containing normal or inflamed gingiva caused a significant increase in the in vitro synthesis of endogenous PGE2. Increased levels of female sex steroids during pregnancy may enhance gingival inflammation.