THE INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF HYDROPEROXY AND HYDROXY ACID PRODUCTS OF ARACHIDONATE LIPOXYGENASE IN RABBIT SKIN

Abstract

1 The inflammatory effects of hydroperoxy (HPETE) and hydroxy (HETE) acids, synthesized by arachidonic acid lipoxygenases, have been investigated in rabbit skin 2 High doses (10–20 μg) of 5-, 12- or 15-HPETE or the 5, 12-di-hydroxy acid, leukotriene B₄ (0.1-1 μg), caused small but significant increases in plasma exudation following intra-dermal injection 3 Leukotriene B₄ was equipotent with prostaglandin E₂ and prostacyclin in potentiating bradykinin-induced plasma exudation, and was 100 times more active in this property than any other lipoxygenase product tested 4 Leukotriene B₄-induced plasma exudation was enhanced by prostaglandin E₂ 5 The mono-HETEs were relatively inactive in causing or enhancing plasma exudation 6 Leukotriene B₄ (0.1 μg) or prostaglandin E₁ (1.0 μg) significantly elevated leukocyte accumulation in rabbit skin, whereas PGE₂, 5-HPETE, 5-HETE, 12-HPETE or 12-HETE were inactive at doses up to 1 μg.