Eicosanoids Flashcards
1
Q
Nomenclature:
A
- ‘eicosanoids’ describes the families of prostaglandins, leukotrienes and other related compounds
- 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid (di-homo-γ-linolenic acid)
-
5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (arachidonic acid)
- most abundant precursor of eicosanoids
- 5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (found primarily in fish oils)
2
Q
How is arachidonic acid released into the blood?
A
- concentration of free AA in cells is very low
- arachidonic acid is found esterified to membrane phospholipids
- Phospholipase A2 is a calcium-dependent enzyme that hydrolyzes the sn-2 ester bond of phospholipid and releases arachidonic acid
3
Q
What are the two cyclooxygenases isoforms? How do they differ?
A
-
COX-1 and COX-2:
- heme proteins
- membrane-bound
- How they differ:
-
COX-1: constitutive
- Expressed in all tissues
-
COX-2: inducible
- Has a promoter region that
binds transcription factors - bigger, more
accessible active site - commonly seen in
inflammation - Nf-kB, C/EBP, ERK1/2,
MAPK
- Has a promoter region that
-
COX-1: constitutive
4
Q
What are the two activites of cyclooxygenases?
A
- oxygenates and cyclizes the precursor fatty acid to form cyclic endoperoxide, PGG2
- peroxidase activity that converts PGG2 ⇒ PGH2
5
Q
What is the fate of PGH2?
A
- transformed enzymatically into a variety of products including PGI2, TXA2, PGE2, PGF2α or PGD2
-
PGE2 vs PGE1
- subscript refers to number of double bonds in molecule
6
Q
Lipooxygenases:
A
- catalyze the oxygenation of fatty acids to corresponding lipid hydroperoxides
-
5-lipoxygenase leads to synthesis of leukotrienes:
- most important
- activation of 5-lipoxygenase requires calcium and 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP)
7
Q
What type drugs inhibit Phospholipase A2?
A
- drugs that reduce the availability of
calcium - glucocorticoids induce synthesis of a group of proteins called annexins (lipocortin) that inhibit phospholipase A2 activity
8
Q
What type drugs inhibit cyclooxygenase?
A
- Aspirin/ other related NSAIDs inhibit COX- 1 and COX-2
- COX-2 selective drugs
- Glucocorticoids decrease expression of COX-2, but not COX-1
9
Q
Which drugs inhibit lipooxygenases (LOXs)?
A
- zileuton (Zyflo®)
- zafirlukast (Accolate®): cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonists
10
Q
Zileuton (Zyflo®)
- Pharmacokinetics:
- Mechanism:
- Adverse Effects:
- Therapeutic Use:
A
5-lipoxygenase inhibitor:
- Pharmacokinetics: oral administration; half-life of 2.5 hrs metabolized by CYP enzymes
- Mechanism: inhibits cys-LTs (bronchoconstriction and increase vascular permeability and LTB4 (chemotaxis)
- Adverse Effects: few; increase liver enzymes
- Therapeutic use: prophylactic treatment of mild asthma
11
Q
Zafirlukast (Accolate®):
- Pharmacokinetics:
- Mechanism:
- Adverse Effects:
- Therapeutic Use:
A
-
Pharmacokinetics:
- Oral administration
- Metabolized CYP2C9
-
Mechanism:
- Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor
antagonist
- Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor
-
Adverse effects:
- Minimal
-
Therapeutic use:
- Prophylaxis and chronic
treatment of asthma - Not appropriate or indicated for the reversal of bronchospasm in acute asthma attacks
- Prophylaxis and chronic
- DOES NOT INHIBIT BIOSYNTHESIS
- Inhibits the effect of the CYS-containing leukotrienes
12
Q
Eicosanoid Catabolism:
A
-
Rapidly inactivated
- infuse PGE1: approximately 95% inactivated during one passage through the pulmonary circulation
- Two Steps:
- initial step; rapid:
- oxidation of the 15-OH group ⇒ ketone by 15-OH PG dehydrogenase
- followed by reduction catalyzed by Δ13 PG -reductase
- most biological activity lost
- second step; relatively slow:
- β and ω oxidation of side chains giving a polar compound that is excreted
13
Q
Cellular Mechanism of Action:
Prostaglandins
A
- wide diversity of effects
- explained by a number of distinct receptors
- all receptors are coupled to effector mechanisms through G proteins
14
Q
Cellular Mechanism of Action:
Leukotrienes
A
- LTB4 receptors:
- BLT1 and BLT2
- chemotaxis
- LTC4, LTD4 & LTE4 recpetors:
- Cysteinyl leukotriene recpetors
- cysLT1 and cys LT2
- Bronchoconstriction
- Increase vascular permeability
- activation increases intracellular calcium
15
Q
EICOSANOIDS CAN BE FORMED BY _________________.
A
VIRTUALLY EVERY CELL