Goulet JL, Snouwaert JN, Latour AM, Coffman TM, Koller BH:
Altered inflammatory responses in leukotriene-deficient mice.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America 1994 Dec 20;91(26):12852-6
ABSTRACT
Leukotrienes have been implicated in the regulation of immune
responses, including inflammation and immediate hypersensitivity
reactions. Here, we describe the phenotypic analysis of
leukotriene-deficient mice generated by inactivation of the
5-lipoxygenase (5LO) gene. These 5LO(-/-) mice were unable to
synthesize detectable levels of leukotrienes and were more resistant
to lethal anaphylaxis induced by platelet-activating factor. The
intensity of an acute inflammatory response induced by arachidonic
acid was similar in 5LO(-/-) mice and controls. However, the
response in 5LO(-/-) mice, but not in controls, could be virtually
eliminated by a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. These data suggest that
inflammatory responses are modulated by arachidonic acid metabolites
through a variety of interconnected mechanisms. This has important
implications for understanding the early events of an inflammatory
response and for designing drugs for use in therapeutic
intervention.
