Effects of conjugated linoleic acid on prostaglandins produced by cells isolated from maternal intercotyledonary endometrium, fetal allantochorion and amnion in late pregnant ewes (original) (raw)

The anticarcinogenic properties of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) are, at least partially, attributed to its ability to interrupt the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolic pathway for the biosynthesis of eicosanoids, including prostaglandins (PG). Both PGE 2 and PGF 2a play key roles in parturition. In the present study, we compared the effects of CLA (a mixture of cis-and trans-9, 11-and -10, 12octadecadienoic acid) and linoleic acid (LA) on PG production by cells isolated from maternal intercotyledonary endometrium, fetal allantochorion and amnion from late pregnant ewes. The results demonstrated that supplementation of LA and CLA significantly affected both the proportions and the amounts of PGs produced by all three tissue types. The ability of the uterus and placenta to respond to oxytocin (OT, endometrium only) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was also affected. LA inhibited PGE 2 and PGF 2a production in the absence or presence of either oxytocin or LPS. In endometrial cells with or without oxytocin or LPS, CLA dose-dependently suppressed PGF 2a generation, whereas low doses of CLA (20 AM) increased PGE 2 generation. Supplementation with CLA therefore increased the PGE 2 /PGF 2a ratio in the endometrial cells. These results suggest that dietary supplementation of LA or CLA may affect both the initiation and progression of parturition. D