title: 5-Lipoxygenase: a target for antiinflammatory drugs revisited.
abstract: Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase is the key enzyme in leukotriene biosynthesis and catalyzes the initial steps in the conversion of arachidonic acid to biologically active leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are considered as potent potent mediators of inflammatory and allergic reactions which are locally released by leukocytes and other 5-LO expressing cells and exert their effects via binding to specific membrane receptors and, as suggested recently, the nuclear receptor PPARa. Because of the proinflammatory profile of leukotrienes it was assumed that leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors and leukotriene receptor antagonists have a therapeutical potential in a variety of inflammatory diseases. Clinical studies confirmed the therapeutic value of the antileukotriene therapy in asthma but the results with leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors in psoriasis, arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease were more or less disappointing. This review summarizes the biochemistry of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway, the pharmacology of FLAP and 5 lipoxygenase inhibitors and discusses possible criteria for the development of these drugs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Frankfurt Marie-Curie-Str. 9 Frankfurt D-60439 Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steinhilber
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001094:Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; D051379:Mice; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D015289:Leukotrienes; D016859:Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D001094:Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase