title: Dermal prostacyclin, thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin F2 alpha in climacteric women: effect of oestrogen replacement therapy.
abstract: The involvement of dermal prostanoids in menopausal flushing was studied in 8 women suffering from climacteric hot flushes and in 10 asymptomatic control subjects by inducing suction blisters on abdominal skin and assaying blister fluids for 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, a metabolite of the vasodilative prostacyclin (PGI2), thromboxane B2 (TxB2), a metabolite of the vasoconstrictive thromboxane A2 (TxA2), and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2 alpha (M-PGF2 alpha), a metabolite of prostaglandin F2A (PGF2A). No marked differences were observed in the levels of these prostanoids in the two study groups. The women experiencing flushes then received conjugated oestrogens for 3 mth to abolish vascular instabilities. This decreased the blister fluid concentration of M-PGF2 alpha from 1720 +/- 476 pg/ml (mean +/- SE) to 1490 +/- pg/ml (P less than 0.05), but had no effect on the dermal levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha or TxB2. It was concluded that although certain dermal prostanoids may be affected by oestrogen treatment they are not of primary significance as regards menopausal flushing.
mesh_terms: D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004970:Estrone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D011460:Prostaglandins F; C008228:15-keto-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin F2alpha; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol; D013929:Thromboxane B2; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; D015237:Dinoprost