Changes in peripheral concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha induced by progesterone in swine.

Abstract

This experiment was designed to examine the effects of progesterone on endogenous and oxytocin-induced secretion of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) in sows. Peripheral concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2 alpha (PGFM) were used as an indirect measure of uterine PGF2 alpha secretion. Eight sows received twice daily injections of progesterone (160 mg/injection) on d 1 to 5 after estrus. Another eight sows received comparable injections of a corn oil injection vehicle. Each sow then received i.v. injections of oxytocin (30 IU) on d 10, 12, and 15 after estrus. Concentrations of PGFM were determined in jugular venous blood samples collected at -60, -45, -30, -15, 0, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after each oxytocin injection. The mean concentrations of PGFM in samples collected before injection of oxytocin (baseline), the magnitude of the PGFM response to oxytocin, and the area under the PGFM response curve (AUC) were calculated for the three oxytocin challenges administered to each sow. Baseline, magnitude, and AUC were low on d 10 after estrus and similar for the two treatment groups. On d 12 baseline, magnitude, and AUC remained low in the control sows; however, all three response variables increased in sows that received progesterone. By d 15, all three variables were high and similar in both treatment groups. In conclusion, progesterone, administered early in the estrous cycle, seems to promote premature secretion of PGF2 alpha as indicated by the high basal concentrations of PGFM observed before injection of oxytocin on d 12.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)