title: Eicosapentaenoic acid potentiates the production of prostacyclin-like material in the arachidonic acid perfused human umbilical vein.
abstract: The production of prostacyclin (PGI2)-like material in human umbilical veins perfused continuously at 37 degrees C with Hanks buffer solution with 1% human albumin (HBA) was studied by bioassay. Subsequent perfusion resulted in a time dependent significant decrease in production of PGI2-like material. After addition of 20 mumol/l arachidonic acid (HBA-AA) the production of PGI2-like material increased significantly. The production of PGI2-like material was significant greater when the vein was perfused with HBA-AA than when perfused with HBA with 20 mumol/l eicosapentaenoic acid (HBA-EPA). Examination of the HBA-EPA perfusate by thin layer chromatography showed that it contained a substance that comigrated with genuine 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and a substance that comigrated with delta 17-6-keto-PGF1 alpha. Finally, perfusion with HBA containing 10 mumol/l AA plus 10 mumol/l EPA resulted in a significant greater production of PGI2-like material than perfusion with HBA-AA alone. These results support the hypothesis that EPA has beneficial antithrombotic properties in human.
mesh_terms: D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D004727:Endothelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D011464:Epoprostenol; D007213:Indomethacin