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Cocaine affects prostaglandin production in human umbilical cord cell cultures
D S Mastrogiannis1, W F O'Brien
1Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Good Samaritan Hospital, West Islip, New York, USA.
Objective:
To investigate the possible effects of cocaine on prostacyclin and prostaglandin (PG) E2 production from endothelial cells derived from human umbilical cord.
Study Design:
First-passaged endothelial cells derived from the umbilical vein were incubated with various doses of cocaine, procaine and lidocaine and 24 h later the supematants were assayed for prostacyclin metabolites 6-keto-PGF1alpha and PGE2. Cocaine concentrations tested were 0, 10, 100, 500 and 1000 microg/ml.
Results:
Cocaine produced a dose-dependent reduction in prostacyclin and PGE2 production from endothelial cells (p) < 0.05). Acetylcholinesterase (a possible detoxifier of cocaine) abolished the effect of cocaine on prostacyclin production. Procaine, an esterol-type anesthetic, produced a similar effect on prostacyclin production, an effect not observed with lidocaine.
Conclusion:
It is speculated that, when present in high concentrations, cocaine may affect vascular tone by inhibition of endothelial cell prostacyclin and PGE2 release.
