Comparison of bioassay methods for the estimation of wound-released prostaglandin-like activity

Methods of bioassay of prostaglandin-like activity (PGLA) released from wounds applied to isolated rat tail skin strips were compared. Administration of multiple bolus doses of PGE2 was used to simulate the response to wound-released PGLA. Estimates of the multiple dose administered were prepared by measuring the peak heights of single bolus and infused doses of PGE2 and also of peak response area measurements of single bolus doses in a three point assay procedure. Comparison of these three methods of measurement demonstrated that peak response height estimates underestimated the simulated wound response value. The mean difference between the bolus dose area estimate and the simulated wound response value was 1.4 +/- 1.2 ng PGE2, and there was a highly significant correlation between the bolus dose area estimates and the simulated wound response values over the range 2.0-12.15 ng PGE2. Data from additional studies using this assay method show that arachidonic acid increased and indomethacin decreased the release of PGLA from wounds and further that wound PGLA release from the skin of diabetic rats was also decreased.