Evidence for the presence of a prostaglandin E 2 -9-keto reductase in rat organs

Antibodies directed toward PGF_2α which cross react with PGE₂ only slightly were used to detect conversion of PGE₂ to PGF_2α by homogenates of several rat tissues. This conversion by rat heart homogenates was demonstrated to be reversible, lost after trypsin digestion, and inhibited by several sulfhydryl blocking agents. The activity of the rat heart homogenate was precipitable by ammonium sulphate, was not dialyzable, and was 50% destroyed when the homogenate was incubated at 50° for 5 min. In the rat, the heart had the highest activity, followed by the kidney, brain, and liver. Negligible activity was found in smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, and whole blood of rat.