Effect of nicotine on the formation of prostaglandins in the rabbit kidney.

The effect of nicotine on the bioformation of prostaglandins (PG) in the rabbit kidney was investigated. Rabbit kidneys were homogenized and the low-speed supernatant was incubated with 14C-labelled arachidonic acid (14C-AA), a PG precursor. Nicotine was added to the incubations to produce final concentrations of 5 x 10(-7) M to 5 x 10(-4) M. Control incubations without nicotine were also performed. 14C-PG formed were separated and evaluated on thin layer radiochromatography. In control experiments 14C-labelled PGD2, PGE2 and PGF2 were formed, the relative amounts in between them being 16, 31 and 53%, respectively. Nicontine dose-dependently depressed the formation of all PG formed in the kidney. At 5 x 10(-7) M the formation of 14C-PG was depressed to 45-80% of control and at a concentration of 5 x 10(-4) M it was depressed to 40% or less of control. It is concluded that nicotine elicits an overall depressive effect on the rabbit kidney formation of PG, probably by inhibiting cyclo-oxygenation of AA.