Prostaglandin E1 in normal human skin: Methodological evaluation,topographical distribution and data related to sex and age

Summary A methodological evaluation of a radioimmunoassay technique for PGE₁ measurement was applied to normal human skin. The detection limit of the assay was 15 pg and recovery (mean±SD) was 90±6%. The mean value of PGE₁ (±SEM) in nine punch biopsy specimens (4 mm in diameter) from a piece of skin surgically removed from one person was 117±14 pg/mg dry weight. The individual variation of PGE₁ activity in biopsy specimens from the same topographical area in ten persons belonging to the same sex and age group was 33±4 pg/mg dry weight. The influence has been elucidated of temperature and tissue processing, local anaesthesia, sex, age and topographical distribution on endogenous PGE₁ activity.Supported by grant 512–8125, 512–15539 and 12–1690 from the Danish Medical Research Council