Prostaglandins in Chronic Cholecystitis

Prostaglandin-like material was extracted from the mucosa and muscle wall of chronically inflamed human gallbladders. Bioassays showed that "synthesised" levels were 3-5 times corresponding "basal" levels, indicating that both mucosa and muscle wall can synthesise PG-like substances, and that indomethacin (10 mug/ml) inhibited this synthesis. Mucosal PG levels were higher in gallbladders with multiple gallstones than with a solitary stone, and overall the mean PG level in mucosa was 12-13 times higher than in the muscle wall. Chromatography of mucosal extracts showed substances indistinguishable from primary PGE and F compounds together with a PGD2-like component. An attempt has been made to relate these findings to the degree of chronic inflammatory cell infiltration and to radiological visualisation at pre-operative cholecystography.