Biomaterial Database

Leukotriene B4. 1998

S W Crooks, and R A Stockley

Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbastón, Birmingham, UK. stephen.crooks@virgin.net

Leukotriene B4 is a pro-inflammatory mediator synthesised in myeloid cells from arachidonic acid. Synthesis is catalysed by 5-lipoxygenase and leukotriene A4 hydrolase and is increased by inflammatory mediators including endotoxin, complement fragments, tumor necrosis factor and interleukins. A nuclear membrane protein, 5-lipoxygenase activating protein, is an essential co-factor for 5-lipoxygenase. Leukotriene B4 induces recruitment and activation of neutrophils, monocytes and eosinophils. It also stimulates the production of a number of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators indicating an ability to augment and prolong tissue inflammation. Elevated levels of leukotriene B4 have been found in a number of inflammatory diseases and levels are related to disease activity in some of these. Initial data from pharmacological inhibition studies support a role for leukotriene B4 in the pathogenesis of neutrophil mediated tissue damage, and treatments which reduce its production or block its effects may prove beneficial in neutrophil mediated inflammatory diseases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007249	Inflammation	A pathological process characterized by injury or destruction of tissues caused by a variety of cytologic and chemical reactions. It is usually manifested by typical signs of pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.	Innate Inflammatory Response,Inflammations,Inflammatory Response, Innate,Innate Inflammatory Responses
D007975	Leukotriene B4	The major metabolite in neutrophil polymorphonuclear leukocytes. It stimulates polymorphonuclear cell function (degranulation, formation of oxygen-centered free radicals, arachidonic acid release, and metabolism). (From Dictionary of Prostaglandins and Related Compounds, 1990)	5,12-HETE,5,12-diHETE,LTB4,Leukotriene B,Leukotriene B-4,Leukotrienes B,5,12 HETE,5,12 diHETE,B-4, Leukotriene,Leukotriene B 4
D009504	Neutrophils	Granular leukocytes having a nucleus with three to five lobes connected by slender threads of chromatin, and cytoplasm containing fine inconspicuous granules and stainable by neutral dyes.	LE Cells,Leukocytes, Polymorphonuclear,Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes,Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils,Neutrophil Band Cells,Band Cell, Neutrophil,Cell, LE,LE Cell,Leukocyte, Polymorphonuclear,Neutrophil,Neutrophil Band Cell,Neutrophil, Polymorphonuclear,Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte,Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil
D011956	Receptors, Cell Surface	Cell surface proteins that bind signalling molecules external to the cell with high affinity and convert this extracellular event into one or more intracellular signals that alter the behavior of the target cell (From Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2nd ed, pp693-5). Cell surface receptors, unlike enzymes, do not chemically alter their ligands.	Cell Surface Receptor,Cell Surface Receptors,Hormone Receptors, Cell Surface,Receptors, Endogenous Substances,Cell Surface Hormone Receptors,Endogenous Substances Receptors,Receptor, Cell Surface,Surface Receptor, Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001094	Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase	An enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of arachidonic acid to yield 5-hydroperoxyarachidonate (5-HPETE) which is rapidly converted by a peroxidase to 5-hydroxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoate (5-HETE). The 5-hydroperoxides are preferentially formed in leukocytes.	5-Lipoxygenase,Arachidonic Acid 5-Lipoxygenase,LTA4 Synthase,Leukotriene A Synthase,Leukotriene A4 Synthase,Leukotriene A4 Synthetase,5 Lipoxygenase,5-Lipoxygenase, Arachidonate,5-Lipoxygenase, Arachidonic Acid,Arachidonate 5 Lipoxygenase,Arachidonic Acid 5 Lipoxygenase,Synthase, LTA4,Synthase, Leukotriene A,Synthase, Leukotriene A4,Synthetase, Leukotriene A4
D012772	Shock, Septic	Sepsis associated with HYPOTENSION or hypoperfusion despite adequate fluid resuscitation. Perfusion abnormalities may include but are not limited to LACTIC ACIDOSIS; OLIGURIA; or acute alteration in mental status.	Endotoxin Shock,Septic Shock,Shock, Endotoxic,Shock, Toxic,Toxic Shock,Toxic Shock Syndrome,Endotoxin Shocks,Shock Syndrome, Toxic,Shock, Endotoxin,Shocks, Endotoxin,Toxic Shock Syndromes
D016207	Cytokines	Non-antibody proteins secreted by inflammatory leukocytes and some non-leukocytic cells, that act as intercellular mediators. They differ from classical hormones in that they are produced by a number of tissue or cell types rather than by specialized glands. They generally act locally in a paracrine or autocrine rather than endocrine manner.	Cytokine
D016859	Lipoxygenase Inhibitors	Compounds that bind to and inhibit that enzymatic activity of LIPOXYGENASES. Included under this category are inhibitors that are specific for lipoxygenase subtypes and act to reduce the production of LEUKOTRIENES.	5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitor,Lipoxygenase Inhibitor,12-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,15-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,Arachidonate 12-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,Inhibitors, Lipoxygenase,12 Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,12-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors, Arachidonate,15 Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,15-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors, Arachidonate,5 Lipoxygenase Inhibitor,5 Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors, Arachidonate,Arachidonate 12 Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,Arachidonate 15 Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,Arachidonate 5 Lipoxygenase Inhibitors,Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase,Inhibitor, Lipoxygenase,Inhibitors, 12-Lipoxygenase,Inhibitors, 15-Lipoxygenase,Inhibitors, 5-Lipoxygenase,Inhibitors, Arachidonate 12-Lipoxygenase,Inhibitors, Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase,Inhibitors, Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase
D018375	Neutrophil Activation	The process in which the neutrophil is stimulated by diverse substances, resulting in degranulation and/or generation of reactive oxygen products, and culminating in the destruction of invading pathogens. The stimulatory substances, including opsonized particles, immune complexes, and chemotactic factors, bind to specific cell-surface receptors on the neutrophil.	Activation, Neutrophil,Activations, Neutrophil,Neutrophil Activations