TISSUE CONCENTRATIONS AND CORRELATIONS OF PROSTAGLANDINS IN HEALTHY AND INFLAMED HUMAN ESOPHAGEAL AND JEJUNAL MUCOSA

The PGE(2), PGF(2 alpha), PGI(2), and TXB(2) content in biopsies of he althy esophageal mucosa and inflamed mucosa and from subjects with chr onic esophagitis was measured and statistically analyzed. No significa nt differences were found between the tissue concentrations of prostag landins in the inflamed and the healthy mucosa, except for elevated PG I(2) content in the inflamed esophageal mucosa in comparison to health y mucosa. The prostaglandin content of jejunal mucosa was unchanged in jejunitis and in atrophy compared to findings in healthy subjects. Re gression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between the PGF-(2 alpha) and PGI(2) content in both inflamed esophageal and i nflamed jejunal mucosa. In healthy mucosa, no correlation was found be tween the tissue concentrations of these two prostaglandins, either in the esophagus or in the jejunum. These results suggest the redistribu tion of cyclic endoperoxide metabolism under certain pathiological con ditions.