Characterization of a myopathy caused by prostaglandin dysfunction.

Administration of inhibitors of prostaglandin synthetase to chicken embryos produced myopathies in their skeletal muscles which were characterized by ringbinden, loss of Z-discs, M-bands, and thick and thin filaments and decreased myoblast proliferation and type 2 myotube formation. The effect of administration of prostaglandins on myoblast proliferation was also examined and PGE was found to suppress proliferation. There was also a tendency for PGF2 alpha to suppress and PGI2 to stimulate proliferation, although neither of these effects were statistically significant. PGA, PGB and PGD did not affect myoblast proliferation.