title: A turn on and a turn off: BLT1 and BLT2 mechanisms in the lung.
abstract: Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a potent lipid mediator of inflammation derived from arachidonic acid through the action of 5-lipoxygenase, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of several inflammatory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A high-affinity LTB4 receptor BLT1 has been shown to exert proinflammatory roles. A cyclooxygenase metabolite, 12(S)-hydroxyheptadeca-5Z, 8E, 10E-trienoic acid (12-HHT), is an endogenous ligand for BLT2, a low-affinity LTB4 receptor. The recent study indicated that BLT2 has a protective role in allergic airway inflammation, suggesting different functions between BLT1 and BLT2 in the pathogenesis of asthma. Selective BLT1 antagonists may have a potential therapeutic application in patients with asthma, and BLT2 may represent a novel therapeutic target for lung diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Machida
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018102:Receptors, Leukotriene B4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C513240:LTB4R protein, human; C485878:LTB4R2 protein, human; D018102:Receptors, Leukotriene B4; D007975:Leukotriene B4
keywords: BLT1; BLT2; LTB4; lung disease