Biology of Reproduction, Vol 29, 743-749, Copyright © 1983 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Thromboxane production in the pregnant rat: differential recovery by platelets and uterus following aspirin administration

NH Dubin, RB Ghodgaonkar and DA Blake

Radioimmunologic data provide evidence that the pregnant rat uterus produces thromboxane B2 (TXB2). To provide further evidence that this radioimmunologic compound is TXB2, an extract of media incubated with uteri from 21-day pregnant rats was passed through a silicic acid column and each 1-ml eluate was tested for its ability to displace tritiated TXB2 from antibody. One peak was found and it corresponded to that of authentic TXB2 eluted through an identical column. Rechromatographing the peak on a thin-layer plate, the radioimmunologic peak again corresponded with the TXB2 standard. Since blood platelets are a major source of thromboxane, their presence in the vasculature of tissues makes them a possible contaminating factor. Following aspirin (300 mg) intubation into rats on either gestational Day 18, 19 or 20, in vitro production of the TXB2 by isolated uteri and washed platelets was determined and compared to the same tissues from untreated rats. When aspirin was administered 1 day prior to autopsy, TXB2 production by uterine tissue was 32% of the control uterus. Platelet TXB2 production was 25% of control platelets. When aspirin was administered 2 days prior to autopsy, uterine TXB2 production increased to 60% of the control, while platelet TXB2 was 43% of the control. When aspirin was administered 3 days prior to autopsy, uterine TXB2 production was higher than that of control, while platelet TXB2 production was 54% of the control. The more rapid recovery of TXB2 by uterine tissue compared to platelets suggest that the TXB2 produced by uterine tissue is not due solely to platelet contamination.