The American Catholic: Contraception and Abortion

Dr. FitzGerald looks at the position in which social and environmental pressures, widespread contraception and the new therapeutic range of the prostaglandins have placed the American Catholic

Effect of oleic acid supplementation on prostaglandin production in maternal endometrial and fetal allantochorion cells isolated from late gestation ewes

Elevated circulating non-esterified fatty acids including oleic acid (OA) are associated with many pregnancy related complications. Prostaglandins (PGs) play crucial roles during parturition. We investigated the effect of OA supplementation on PG production using an in vitro model of ovine placenta

The role of prostaglandins in livestock production

Prostaglandins belong to the family of lipid. Soluble unsaturated hydroxyl acid containing twenty carbon (c) atoms and based on the prostanoic acid skeleton. There are two main types of Prostaglandins (PGs), the E and F series each having 3 members E1, E2, E3 and F1σ, F2σ, F3σ. The other PGs are known as secondary PGs and are products of enzymic or chemical dehydrations of PGEs e.g PG+2, PGA2, PGD2 and PGB. Prostaglandins are probably the most important regulators of female productive functions (ovulation, uterine receptivity, Implantation and parturition) and associated with pathologies (pain, fever, and inflammation), apart from sex steroids. Prostaglandins are not stored in tissues but are synthesized and released in response to a given stimulus. Prostaglandins are produced by all nucleated cells of the body and act locally in a paracrine (locally active) or autocrine (acting on the same cell from which it is in a synthesized) fashion. Prostaglandins are therefore regarded as essential mediators of female reproductive processes, hence, this paper seeks to review the role of Prostaglandins which is exploited in livestock production especially oestrus synchronization and induced parturition.KEYWORDS: Prostaglandins, Production, Role, Livestoc

METHOD FOR MODULATING EICOSANOID MEDIATED IMMUNE RESPONSES IN ARTHROPODS

The invention is directed to compositions which alter the health of invertebrate organisms by affecting eicosanoid mediated immune responses, and methods of using the compositions. The invention provides pharmaceutical com positions and biopesticide compositions. The pharmaceuti cal composition is composed of an effective amount of at least one biologically active agent which enhances or inhib its eicosanoid-mediated immune responses in invertebrate Species and a physiological compatible carrier. The biope Sticide composition is composed of a biopesticidal amount of an inhibitor of eicosanoid-mediated immune responses in invertebrates and a physiologically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical compositions are useful to treat invertebrate Species to enhance or inhibit immune responses. The bio pesticide composition is useful to control the growth of or eradicate invertebrate pests. Methods are provided for deter mining which and what amounts of the biologically active agents are useful in the composition

Consequences of altered eicosanoid patterns for nociceptive processing in mPGES-1-deficient mice

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-dependent prostaglandin (PG) E2 synthesis in the spinal cord plays a major role in the development of inflammatory hyperalgesia and allodynia. Microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1) isomerizes COX-2-derived PGH2 to PGE2. Here, we evaluated the effect of mPGES-1-deficiency on the noci-ceptive behavior in various models of nociception that depend on PGE2 synthesis. Surprisingly, in the COX-2-dependent zymosan-evoked hyperalgesia model, the nociceptive behavior was not reduced in mPGES-1-deficient mice despite a marked decrease of the spinal PGE2 synthesis. Similarly, the nociceptive behavior was unaltered in mPGES-1-deficient mice in the formalin test. Importantly, spinal cords and primary spinal cord cells derived from mPGES-1-deficient mice showed a redirection of the PGE2 synthesis to PGD2, PGF2α and 6-keto-PGF1α (stable metabolite of PGI2). Since the latter prostaglandins serve also as mediators of noci-ception they may compensate the loss of PGE2 synthesis in mPGES-1-deficient mice

Temperature and time-dependent effects of delayed blood processing on oxylipin concentrations in human plasma.

BACKGROUND:Oxidized derivatives of polyunsaturated fatty acids, collectively known as oxylipins, are labile bioactive mediators with diverse roles in human physiology and pathology. Oxylipins are increasingly being measured in plasma collected in clinical studies to investigate biological mechanisms and as pharmacodynamic biomarkers for nutrient-based and drug-based interventions. Whole blood is generally stored either on ice or at room temperature prior to processing. However, the potential impacts of delays in processing, and of temperature prior to processing, on oxylipin concentrations are incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effects of delayed processing of blood samples in a timeframe that is typical of a clinical laboratory setting, using typical storage temperatures, on concentrations of representative unesterified oxylipins measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. DESIGN:Whole blood (drawn on three separate occasions from a single person) was collected into 5 mL purple-top potassium-EDTA tubes and stored for 0, 10, 20, 30, 60 or 120 min at room temperature or on wet ice, followed by centrifugation at 4 °C for 10 min with plasma collection. Each sample was run in duplicate, therefore there were six tubes and up to six data points at each time point for each oxylipin at each condition (ice/room temperature). Representative oxylipins derived from arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and linoleic acid were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Longitudinal models were used to estimate differences between temperature groups 2 h after blood draw. RESULTS:We found that most oxylipins measured in human plasma in traditional potassium-EDTA tubes are reasonably stable when stored on ice for up to 2 h prior to processing, with little evidence of auto-oxidation in either condition. By contrast, in whole blood stored at room temperature, substantial time-dependent increases in the 12-lipoxygenase-derived (12-HETE, 14-HDHA) and platelet-derived (thromboxane B2) oxylipins were observed. CONCLUSION:These findings suggest that certain plasma oxylipins can be measured with reasonable accuracy despite delayed processing for up to 2 h when blood is stored on ice prior to centrifugation. 12-Lipoxygenase- and platelet-derived oxylipins may be particularly sensitive to post-collection artifact with delayed processing at room temperature. Future studies are needed to determine impacts of duration and temperature of centrifugation on oxylipin concentrations

Resolving an inflammatory concept: the importance of inflammation and resolution in tendinopathy

Injuries to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in equine athletes, but the healing response is poorly understood. One important drive for the healing of connective tissues is the inflammatory cascade, but the role of inflammation in tendinopathy has been contentious in the literature. This article reviews the processes involved in the healing of tendon injuries in natural disease and experimental models. The importance of inflammatory processes known to be active in tendon disease is discussed with particular focus on recent findings related specifically to the horse. Whilst inflammation is necessary for debridement after injury, persistent inflammation is thought to drive fibrosis, a perceived adverse consequence of tendon healing. Therefore the ability to resolve inflammation by the resident cell populations in tendons at an appropriate time would be crucial for successful outcome. This review summarises new evidence for the importance of resolution of inflammation after tendon injury. Given that many anti-inflammatory drugs suppress both inflammatory and resolving components of the inflammatory response, prolonged use of these drugs may be contraindicated as a therapeutic approach. We propose that these findings have profound implications not only for current treatment strategies but also for the possibility of developing novel therapeutic approaches involving modulation of the inflammatory process

Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α and Eicosanoids Regulate Expression of Genes in Macrophages Involved in Host Defense and Inflammation

Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Robert Barkley and Charis Uhlson for mass spectrometry analysis. Funding: This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health HL34303 (to C.C.L., R.C.M. and D.L.B), DK54741 (to J.V.B.), GM5322 (to D.L.W.) and the Wellcome Trust (to N.A.R.G. and G.D.B.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Consumption of a high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet during gradual mild physiological stress in rats.

n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFAs) may be beneficial for anxiety and depression under stressful conditions. Studies however, typically utilise physical or sudden physiological stress, while gradual physiological stress is also relevant to human conditions. Using deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) administration to induce gradual physiological stress, this study investigated the impact of n-3PUFAs under gradual physiological stress in rats. Animals (aged 2 months) (N=8-12/group) received daily injections of DOCA or vehicle and were concurrently fed a high n-3PUFA or control diet for eight weeks. Behavioural measures were taken throughout. Behavioural tests and physiological measures were conducted after six and eight weeks respectively. DOCA administration decreased plasma renin, plasma proteins and relative adrenal weight, and increased water intake, relative kidney weight, and anxiety in the open field. These findings demonstrate disruptions to the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, a result of mild physiological stress, that also impact on anxiety behaviours. No effects of n-3PUFAs were found