Chain-shortening of prostaglandin F2 alpha by rat liver peroxisomes.

Liver peroxisomes were isolated from di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate treated rats by isopycnic sucrose gradient centrifugation of a light mitochondrial fraction. Incubation of prostaglandin F2 alpha with purified peroxisomes resulted in conversion into a more polar product(s). In contrast, incubation with mitochondrial fractions and microsomal fractions under the same conditions did not result in any detectable conversion. The polar material obtained from a preparative incubation was purified by high performance liquid chromatography and characterized by radio-gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The structure of the polar compound was shown to be 5,7,11-trihydroxy-tetranorprost-9-enoic acid (tetranor-prostaglandin F1 alpha). Prostaglandin F2 alpha was thus chain-shortened by four carbon atoms.