Lipopolysaccharide priming potentiates calcium ionophore stimulated human placental prostaglandin E2 release in vitro

Abstract

In this study, the effect of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) and of LPS priming on the in vitro release of PGE2 from human placental explants was investigated. Both LPS and the calcium ionophore A23187 significantly stimulated PGE2 release (P < 0.05). Simultaneous exposure of placental explants to both LPS and A23187 revealed no additive or synergistic stimulation of PGE2 release. LPS priming of placental tissue significantly increased A23187-stimulated PGE2 release when compared to non-LPS-primed tissues. The addition of exogenous arachidonic acid (the substrate for PGE2 synthesis) also significantly (P < 0.05) stimulated PGE2 release. There was, however, no significant furthe..