Leukotrienes, together with the prostaglandins and other related compounds, are derived from 20 carbon(eicosa) fatty acids that contain double bonds (enoic). Hence this group of substances is called theeicosanoids. The name leukotriene derives original discovery these in white bloodcells (polymorphonuclear leucocytes) fact they all have common 4 (hence the4 subscript), 3 which a conjugated trie...

Leukotrienes are biologically active lipid mediators of inflammation involved in atherogenesis. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients exhibit early atherosclerosis and activation of the leukotriene pathway. In OSA patients, the production of leukotrienes is increased in relation to OSA severity and in vitro exposure of immune cells to intermittent hypoxia increases leukotriene pathway transcr...

Growth factor-induced stress fiber formation involves signal transduction through Rac and Rho proteins and production of leukotrienes from arachidonic acid metabolism. In exploring the relationship between these pathways, we found that Rac is essential for EGF-induced arachidonic acid production and subsequent generation of leukotrienes and that Rac V12, a constitutively activated mutant of Rac...

Cysteinyl-leukotrienes and histamine are the major determinants of inherent tone in isolated human bronchi, which is mainly the result of a balance of continual production and release of contractile mediator, in particular cysteinyl-leukotrienes and to a lesser extent histamine, and on the other side bronchodilating prostanoids. Cysteinyl-leukotrienes are also powerful constrictors of isolated ...

This paper reviews the leukotrienes, a new group of biologically active compounds in the metabolism of eicosapolyenoic acids. The leukotrienes are acyclic eicosanoids that arise through the 5-lipoxygenase pathway from eicosatrienoic, eicosatetraenoic, and eicosapentaenoic acid. Of these eicosatetraenoic acid, arachidonic acid, is the most important source of leukotrienes. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4),...

Polyunsaturated fatty acids play a role as precursors of biolo­gically active compounds that can act as mediators or modulators  of various cell functions. Thus three main groups of derivatives­ the prostaglandins, the thromboxanes, and recently discovered  leukotrienes are formed by oxygenation and further transformation of various polyunsaturated fatty acids of which arachidonic acid  plays t...

Altered responsiveness to and metabolism of various eicosanoids in diabetic animals and patients has been reported by several investigators. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the coronary vascular responsiveness of alloxan-diabetic rats to the leukotrienes. Hearts from 12- to 16-week-old alloxan-diabetic rats and weight-matched controls were perfused at constant flow by the Lange...