Prostaglandins are critical for the onset and progression of labor in mammals, and are formed by the metabolism of arachidonic acid. The products of arachidonic acid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and anandamide (AEA) have a similar lipid back bone but differing polar head groups, meaning that identification of these products by immunoassay can be difficult.In the current study, we present the use of mass spectrometry as multiplex method of identifying the specific end products of arachidonic and anandamide metabolism by human derived amnion explants treated with either an infectious agent (LPS) or inflammatory mediator (IL-1β or TNF-α).
RESULTS
Human amnion tissue explants treated with LPS, IL-1β, or TNF-α increased production of prostaglandin E
2 (PGE
2; p < 0.05) but decreased PGFM. Overall, PGE
2 production was greater compared to the other prostaglandins and prostamides irrespective of treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the current study are in keeping with the literature which describes amnion tissues as predominantly producing PGE
2. The use of mass spectrometry for the differential identification of prostaglandins, prostamides, and other eicosanoids may help better elucidate mechanisms of preterm labor, and lead to new targets for the prediction of risk for preterm labor and/or birth.