Influence of polychlorinated biphenyls and their hydroxylated metabolites on prostaglandins secretion from epithelial cells of bovine oviduct, in vitro.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) markedly stimulate bovine uterine contractions and prostaglandin (PG) F2alpha secreted from both, myometrial and endometrial cells is essentially involved in this process. Since contractions of the oviduct are crucial for gametes and embryo transport, therefore the goal of this study was to investigate the influence of PCBs on PGF2alpha and PGE2 secretion from oviductal epithelium. Epithelial cells of the oviduct, from cows and heifers on days 1-5 of estrous cycle, were treated with PCBs: technical mixture (Aroclor 1248; Ar 1248), individual congeners (PCB 30 and PCB 153) and hydroxylated metabolites (PCB 30-OH and PCB 50-OH). Viability of the cells after treatment with PCBs (10 and 100 ng/ml) was determined after 24, 48 and 72 h. The concentration of PGFM (metabolite of PGF2alpha) and PGE2 in culture medium was determined after 2 and 48 h of incubation with PCBs (0.1, 1 and 10 ng/ml). None of the PCBs affected (P>0.05) cell viability, whereas all of them, except PCB 30 after 48 h of treatment, increased (P<0.05-0.01) PGF2alpha secretion from epithelial cells. All PCBs also stimulated (P<0.05) the PGE2 secretion after 2h of incubation, but this effect was less evident or there was no effect after 48 h of treatment. We conclude that oviductal secretion of PGF2alpha and PGE2 is affected by PCBs and this can be a part of the mechanism by means of which PCBs may affect the contractions of bovine oviduct.