Effects of prostaglandins A2, E2 and F2 alpha on erythropoietin production.

The erythropoietic effects of the renal prostaglandins were investigated in exhypoxic polycythemic mice and in isolated perfused dog kidneys. Prostaglandins A2 and E2 in a dose range of 100 to 800 mug/kg b.wt. were found to produce a dose-related increase in radioactive iron incorporation in red cells. Prostaglandin F2 alpha was devoid of an erythropoietic effect in polycythemic mice. In that PGE2 is the principal renal prostaglandin, PGE2 (0.5 mug/min) or saline was infused into isolated perfused dog kidneys that had been programmed by prior exposure to hypoxia (0.42 atm) for 4 hours. PGE2-infused kidneys during 5 hours of perfusion with blood from nonhypoxic donor dogs produced significant increases in perfusate titers of erythropoietin when compared with that of saline infusion controls at the same time intervals. These data suggest an involvement of the renal prostaglandin PGE2 in erythropoietin production by the kidney.