Distribution of NAD+-dependent prostaglandin dehydrogenase activity among human fetal tissues.

In the present investigation the activity of NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase was measured in the cytosolic fractions prepared from various tissues of the human fetus. Among the different tissues studied the specific activity of this enzyme varied widely. The specific activities of prostaglandin dehydrogenase were greatest in the adrenal gland, placenta, and ureter, while moderate levels were found in kidney, lung, and testis; low or undetected levels were found in other tissues including heart, intestine, and brain. The finding of wide variations in the specific activity of prostaglandin dehydrogenase among tissues of the human fetus is supportive of the possibility that this enzyme has an important role in the regulation of the levels of prostaglandins in these tissues.