title: Age-related decrease in prostacyclin biosynthetic activity in rat aortic smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Prostaglandin biosynthetic activity in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells was investigated as a function of age by both intact cell and cell-free homogenate assays. The total cyclooxygenase activity for prostaglandin biosynthesis is the same in cells from young and old rats. However, cells from young rats proceduce more prostacyclin than prostaglandin E2, and cells from old rats produce more prostaglandin E2 than prostacyclin. Age-related decrease in prostacyclin biosynthesis is also found when protaglandin H2 is used as substrate. Lower prostacyclin and higher prostaglandin E2 biosynthetic activity in aortic smooth muscle cells from aged rats may contribute to the direct explanation of pathogenesis of spontaneous atherosclerosis and artial thrombosis in aged humans and other mammals.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism; D002474:Cell-Free System; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011463:Prostaglandins H / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D011463:Prostaglandins H; D011464:Epoprostenol