Specific bindings of prostaglandin D2, E2 and F2 alpha in postmortem human brain.

Binding activities specific for each of [3H]prostaglandin (PG) D2, E2 and F2 alpha were detected in the P2 fraction of the human brain homogenates. The bindings were time-dependent, saturable and of high affinity; Kd values were 30 nM for all the PG bindings. Regional distribution of these binding activities was determined by measuring specific bindings with 10 nM [3H]PG-D2, [3H]PG-E2 and [3H]PG-F2 alpha in the P2 fractions from 17 brain regions. The PG-D2 binding activity was high in the hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus followed by cerebellar nuclei, thalamus, nucleus accumbens and cerebral cortex. The PG-E2 binding sites were similarly concentrated in the hypothalamus and the limbic system, but, unlike the PG-D2 binding, no significant binding of [3H]PG-E2 was observed in cerebellar nuclei, cerebellar cortex and putamen. Compared with these two PG bindings, PG-F2 alpha binding activity was low in many areas, but significant binding was detected in the amygdala, cingulate cortex, cerebellar medulla, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, midbrain and hypothalamus. These results suggest the presence and specific distribution of three distinct types of PG binding activities, i.e. specific binding of PG-D2, PG-E2 and PG-F2 alpha, in the human brain.