Differences of metabolism of prostaglandin E2 and F2 alpha by decidual stromal cells and macrophages in culture.

Intact decidual stromal cells and macrophages metabolized 3H-prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha although the rate of metabolism of both prostaglandins was higher in the decidual macrophages than in decidual stromal cells. PGE2 was metabolised mainly to 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGE2 together with smaller quantities for PGB2 and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGA2, whereas PGF2 alpha was metabolised to 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2 alpha, PGE2 and PGB2, and it seems that similar metabolic pathways were present in both cell types. The half-lives of both prostaglandins (8.8 +/- 3.4 h for PGE2 and 15.0 +/- 8.2 h for PGF2 alpha sigma in the presence of decidual stromal cells show that during incubations lasting more than a few hours significant metabolism of prostaglandins, especially PGE2, will occur, and that this must be allowed for in any assessment of total prostaglandin production by cultured decidual cells. One of the 6 tissue samples examined metabolised both prostaglandins very rapidly, such that the half-lives were less than 2 h. This may be the result of the presence of very high levels of metabolic enzymes, since the overall pattern of metabolites was similar to that from the other 5 samples.