Eicosanoid production in rabbit vascular tissues and placentas.

In pregnant rabbits, systemic levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are elevated. To evaluate the source of the rise in circulating levels of PGE2, eicosanoid production was determined in rabbit placental cotyledons and the following vascular tissues: mesenteric arteries, main renal arteries, and intrarenal preglomerular vessels (n = 6 or 7 rabbits). Comparisons were made with vascular tissues from nonpregnant rabbits (n = 6 or 7). Freshly isolated tissues were incubated for 15 min at 37 degrees C. Medium aliquots were analyzed for eicosanoids by radioimmunoassay. Maximal net production and release (pg/microgram protein) was determined by subtraction of the quantity of eicosanoids present in medium before incubation from that present at the end of incubation. Net production and release of 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (PGF1 alpha), a stable metabolite of prostacyclin, and of PGE2 was similar in vascular tissues from pregnant and nonpregnant rabbits. Thromboxane B2 (TxB2) generation in preglomerular vessels from pregnant rabbits was lower (P less than 0.05) than that of nonpregnant rabbits. This could contribute to renal vasodilation in pregnancy. The pattern of eicosanoid production in vascular tissues was 6-keto-PGF1 alpha greater than PGE2 greater than TxB2, and in cotyledons it was PGE2 greater than 6-keto-PGF1 alpha greater than TxB2. In cotyledons, PGE2 and TxB2 production was 56-219 and 2-12 times that in maternal vascular tissues, respectively. These data suggest that physiologically significant quantities of eicosanoids may be released by rabbit placental tissue.