Fetal 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase Is Altered by Maternal Ethanol Exposure

Abstract

Several studies have suggested that ethanol consumption may alter prostaglandin metabolism and that this alteration may represent the molecular mechanism underlying certain of the pathophysiological consequences of chronic alcoholism. Our laboratory is investigating the hypothesis that ethanol induced changes in prostaglandin metabolism may be volved in the etiology of the condition termed fetal alcohol syndrome. In this study, pregnant rats (Holtzman) were exposed for 2 h each day throughout gestation to ethanol by vapor inhalation. Ethanol exposure resulted in retarded fetal growth and changes in the prostaglandin dehydrogenase activity in homogenates from placental amnion and maternal and fetal kidney.