AJP - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Vol 252, Issue 1 14-H21, Copyright © 1987 by American Physiological Society
Ontogeny of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha synthesis in rabbit aorta and the effect of premature weaning
S. P. Bydlowski, R. L. Yunker and M. T. Subbiah
A systematic study of the ontogeny of aortic 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha
synthesis from birth to adult life and the effect of premature weaning on
this process was investigated in rabbits. Prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis by
both endogenous and exogenous arachidonic acid and its relation to aortic
arachidonic acid content was determined. It was found that 1) PGI2
synthesis from endogenous arachidonic acid increased with age, whereas 2)
PGI2 synthesis from exogenous arachidonic acid decreased. This correlated
with a decrease in the incorporation of [14C]arachidonic acid into
phospholipids with age. Aortic arachidonic acid concentration did not
change from birth until 3 wk of life but increased markedly by 5 wk of age.
Premature weaning caused a decrease in the synthesis of aortic PGI2 and in
aortic arachidonic acid concentration initially, but the changes did not
persist in later life. These studies suggest that the utilization of
exogenous arachidonic acid by aorta decreases after birth perhaps due to
maturity of the enzyme systems that synthesize and utilize endogenous
substrates.
