Prostaglandin E1 raises the cAMP content of peripheral nerve tissue.

Prostaglandins of the E type have been found to increase the cAMP content in peripheral nerve tissue of several species. In rabbit vagus nerve, for example, the effect is rapid (1--5 min), it can be elicited by 10(-6) M PGE1 and it is maximal at 10(-5) M. In this preparation the increase of the cAMP content caused by PGE1 is about 4-fold, whereas it is about 2-fold in the vagus of calf. PGE1 also causes an increase in cAMP level in the superior cervical ganglion of calf, rat and rabbit. In these tissues, however, the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor is required for cAMP accumulation.