Chick retinal pigment epithelium exhibits glutathione requiring prostaglandin D2 synthetase activity.

Prostaglandin synthetic activity of neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium in chick retina was studied using arachidonic acid and prostaglandin H2 (intermediate prostaglandin endoperoxide) as substrates. To obtain sufficient enzyme activity in retinal pigment epithelium, cultured chick retinal pigment epithelial cells were used. Little arachidonic acid was converted into prostaglandins, and details of prostaglandin synthetic activity were not clear. The assay from prostaglandin H2 showed that: 1) preparations consisting of both neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium dissected from 7-day-old chicks have activity of glutathione-requiring prostaglandin D2 synthetase; 2) preparations consisting of only neural retina dissected from 7-day-old chicks have no activity of prostaglandin synthetase; and 3) cultured chick retinal pigment epithelial cells have high activity of glutathione-requiring prostaglandin D2 synthetase.