Prostaglandins and erythropoiesis: structure/action relationships and identification of the prostaglandin responsive cells.

Ten prostaglandin derivatives have been investigated for their ability to stimulate heme synthesis in serum-free cultures of fetal mouse liver cells in an attempt to define the structural requirements of the prostaglandin molecule necessary for erythrostimulation. In descending order of potency, only PGE2, PGF2 alpha and PGB1 produced at least 50% stimulation of endogenous heme synthesis. Seven of the ten prostaglandin derivatives tested were inhibitory at high concentrations. The PGE2 effect was pharmacologically distinct from that of Ep and could be antagonized by 15 epi PGF2 alpha. Unit gravity cell sedimentation studies demonstrated that PGE2 stimulated only the larger cells within the erythropoietin responsive cell population.