Leukotriene C4 biosynthesis in isolated August rat peritoneal leukocytes

The mixed leukocyte population obtained from the peritoneum of the August rat is a potentially important experimental model of inherent eosinophilia that has not been well characterized. In the present study, isolated cell preparations generated a concentration-dependent release of leukotriene (LT) C(4) when exposed to the Ca(2+) ionophore A23187, reaching maximal stimulation at 5.0 muM. This response was inhibited by the 5-lipoxygenase activating protein antagonist MK-886 (0.1 muM), nominally Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)-free incubation media and by activation of protein kinase C via phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (50 nM). These findings establish a model system for investigating LTC(4) profiles contingent with innate peritoneal eosinophilia and are consistent with the hypothesis that cellular LTC(4) biosynthesis is phosphoregulated.