Histone deacetylases (HDACs) mediate changes in nucleosome conformation and are important in the regulation of gene expression. HDACs are involved in cell cycle progression and differentiation, and their deregulation is associated with several cancers. HDAC inhibitors have emerged recently as promising chemotherapeutic agents. One such agent, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, is a potent inhibit...

The use of acetylenic acid analogs differing in chain length or position of the triple bonds permitted the systemic study of structure activity relationships for the arachidonate metabolizing enzymes (i.e, cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase) in platelets and the relationship of these enzymes to aggregation. We were able to demonstrate analogs that were differentially selective in altering platele...

Soybean leaves contain three proteins (the vegetative storage proteins or VSPs) that respond to nitrogen status and are believed to be involved in the temporary storage of nitrogen. One of these proteins, with a molecular mass of 94 kD and termed vsp94, was microsequenced. Partial amino acid sequence indicated that vsp94 was highly homologous to the lipoxygenase protein family. Further evidence...

Eicosanoids have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In this study, peritoneal macrophages from autoimmune-prone mice were examined for their capacity to produce proinflammatory 5-lipoxygenase metabolites. The results indicate that enhanced production of leukotriene C4 is a common feature of murine autoimmunity and suggest further that aberrations in 5-lipoxygenase activ...

New 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors, designated epocarbazolins A and B, were isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces anulatus T688-8. These compounds showed potent rat 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity with weak antibacterial activity. Structural studies revealed that epocarbazolins are new carbazole antibiotics having a novel substitution pattern and an epoxide in the side chain.

Macrophage infiltration is a hallmark in the majority of solid tumors. Our studies demonstrated that macrophages that infiltrate human renal cells carcinoma (RCC) display markedly enhanced expression and activity of 15-lipoxygenase-2 (15-LOX2). Obtained data suggest that enhanced lipoxygenase activity in tumor-associated macrophages stimulates cancer inflammation and causes immune dysfunction.

It i s generally recognized that high levels of low density lipoprotein are associated with the development of atherosclerosis A considerable body of evidence has accumulated to indicate that a critical step in atherogenesis, i s oxidation of LDL, and that circumstances that promote oxidation of LDL may constitute a major risk-factor for atherosclerosis (1) A major catalyst of lipoprotein oxida...

BACKGROUND Leukotrienes are lipid mediators generated from arachidonic acid by the 5-lipoxygenase pathway which may play an important part in the pathophysiology of asthma. Previous studies have demonstrated attenuation of the allergen-induced early and late asthmatic responses by leukotriene receptor antagonists. The effect of the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor ZD2138, a non-redox lipoxygenase inhib...

A recognized feature of psoriasis and other proliferative dermatoses is accumulation in the skin of the unusual arachidonic acid metabolite, 12R-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12R-HETE). This hydroxy fatty acid is opposite in chirality to the product of the well-known 12S-lipoxygenase and heretofore in mammals is known only as a product of cytochrome P450s. Here we provide mechanistic evidence f...