Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase activity in hydatidiform mole tissue and choriocarcinoma cells.

Prostaglandins may occupy an important role in viral and chemical carcinogen-induced neoplasia. To evaluate the possible role of prostaglandin catabolism in neoplastic cells, we measured nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase activity in hydatidiform mole tissue and in choriocarcinoma cells maintained in monolayer culture. The specific activity of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase in hydatidiform mole tissue (0 to 1.2 nmol 15-ketoprostaglandin E2 formed x min-1 x mg-1 cytosolic protein) and in choriocarcinoma cells (1.0 nmol 15-ketoprostaglandin E2 x min-1 x mg-1 protein) was strikingly less than that found in normal placental tissue [11.4 +/- 2.3 (S.E.) nmol 15-ketoprostaglandin x min-1 x mg-1 protein].