Eicosanoid production by uterine strips and by embryos obtained from diabetic pregnant rats

Eicosanoid production by uterine strips and by embryos obtained from normal and diabetic rats at day 10 of pregnancy was studied. It was found that the release of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha (representing PGI2 synthesis) and of LTB4 was less in preparations from diabetic animals than in controls. The production of TXB2 (indicating the formation of TXA2) by uterine tissue obtained from diabetic rats was almost double that of controls. The synthesis and release of eicosanoids when tissues were incubated in glucose-containing solution or in glucose-free medium were similar, with the exception of LTB4, which was diminished with uterine strips from diabetic rats. The mean number of embryos in control pregnant rats (12.4 +/- 0.5) and in diabetic mothers (10.1 +/- 1.3) was not significantly different, but in 4 of the 14 diabetic rats studied, all of their embryos were resorbed. Although embryos released large amounts of PGF2 and PGE2, and small amounts of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, TXB2 and LTB4, the amounts of each eicosanoid in control and diabetic groups were similar. The present results indicate that the diabetic state, which induces alterations in uterine eicosanoid production, do not influence arachidonic metabolism in their corresponding embryos.