EICOSANOID PRODUCTION BY UTERINE STRIPS AND BY EMBRYOS OBTAINED FROM DIABETIC PREGNANT RATS

Eicosanoid production by uterine strips and by embryos obtained from n ormal and diabetic rats at day 10 of pregnancy was studied. It was fou nd that the release of 6-keto-PGF1alpha (representing PGI2 synthesis) and of LTB4 was less in preparations from diabetic animals than in con trols. The production of TXB2 (indicating the formation of TXA2) by ut erine tissue obtained from diabetic rats was almost double that of con trols. The synthesis and release of eicosanoids when tissues were incu bated in glucose-containing solution or in glucose-free medium were si milar, with the exception of LTB4, which was diminished with uterine s trips from diabetic rats. The mean number of embryos in control pregna nt rats (12.4 +/- 0.5) and in diabetic mothers (10.1 +/- 1.3) was not significantly different, but in 4 of the 14 diabetic rats studied, all of their embryos were resorbed. Although embryos released large amoun ts of PGF2 and PGE2, and small amounts of 6-keto-PGF1alpha, TXB2 and L TB4, the amounts of each eicosanoid in control and diabetic groups wer e similar. The present results indicate that the diabetic state, which induces alterations in uterine eicosanoid production, do not influenc e arachidonic metabolism in their corresponding embryos.