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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Human B and T lymphocytes convert leukotriene A4 into leukotriene B4.

Incubation of human tonsillar B lymphocytes and peripheral blood T lymphocytes with leukotriene A4 led to the formation of leukotriene B4. The purity of these cell suspensions was more than 99%, containing less than 0.5% monocytes. Incubation of purified B or T lymphocytes with the calcium ionophore A23187 did not lead to the formation of any detectable amounts of leukotrienes. Several established cell lines of B and T lymphocytic origin were also found to convert leukotriene A4 into leukotriene B4, showing that monoclonal lymphocytic cells possess leukotriene A4 hydrolase activity.

Arachidonic Acids↗
PubMed1993

Identification of 5-keto-(7E,9E,11Z,14Z)-eicosatetraenoic acid as a novel nonenzymatic rearrangement product of leukotriene A4.

Leukotriene A4 (LTA4), the reaction product of 5-lipoxygenase in human polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes, is transformed both to LTB4 and a mixture of 5,6- and 5,12-dihydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acids (diHETE) via nonenzymatic hydrolysis. Evidence has been obtained that LTA4 is also converted to 5-keto-(7E,9E,11Z,14Z)-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-oxo-ETE). The compound was isolated from the products of the 5-lipoxygenase reaction and its structure elucidated by UV spectroscopy, LC-MS, two-dimensional [1H]NMR spectroscopy and chemical reduction to the corresponding alcohol. The 5-oxo-ETE represented about 14% of the LTA4 hydrolysis products as compared to 72 and 14% for the 5,12-diHETE and 5,6-diHETE, respectively. A similar profile of hydrolysis products was obtained after incubation of synthetic LTA4 in aqueous buffer. Human PMN leukocytes produced 5-oxo-ETE in an arachidonic acid-dependent and MK-886-inhibitable manner. The 5-oxo-ETE caused 50% inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase activity at 1 microM. These results demonstrate that the nonenzymatic conversion of LTA4, in addition to the previously described hydrolysis products, yields 5-oxo-ETE during both the 5-lipoxygenase reaction and arachidonic acid oxidation by human PMN leukocytes. They indicate that allylic epoxides can rearrange in aqueous media at physiological pH to spontaneously form beta,gamma-unsaturated ketones.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Release of leukotriene A4 versus leukotriene B4 from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The reactive intermediate formed by 5-lipoxygenase metabolism of arachidonic acid, leukotriene A4, is known to be released from cells and subsequently taken up by other cells for biochemical processing. The objective of this study was to determine the relative amount of leukotriene A4 synthesized by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) that is available for transcellular biosynthetic processes. This was accomplished by diluting cell suspensions and measuring the relative amounts of enzymatic versus nonenzymatic leukotriene A4-derived metabolites after challenge with the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Nonenzymatic leukotriene A4-derived metabolites were used as a quantitative index of the amount of leukotriene A4 released into the extracellular milieu. The results obtained demonstrated that in human PMNL, the relative amounts of nonenzymatic versus enzymatic leukotriene A4-derived metabolites increased with decreasing cell concentrations. After a 20-fold dilution of PMNL in cell preparations, a doubling in the amount of nonenzymatic leukotriene A4-derived metabolites was observed following challenge (from 53.9 +/- 1.3 to 110.4 +/- 8.9 pmol/10(6) PMNL, p < 0.01). Reduction of possible cell-cell interactions by dilution suggested that over 50% of leukotriene A4 synthesized is released from the PMNL. These data provide evidence that, in human PMNL preparations, transfer of leukotriene A4 to neighboring PMNL is taking place, resulting in additional formation of leukotriene B4 and its omega-oxidized metabolites 20-hydroxy- and 20-carboxy-leukotriene B4. Neutrophil reuptake of extracellular leukotriene A4 leads to an underestimation of the fraction of leukotriene A4 that is in fact available for transcellular metabolism when tight cell-cell interactions occur, such as during PMNL adhesion to the microvascular endothelium and diapedesis.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1988

Human endothelial cells stimulate leukotriene synthesis and convert granulocyte released leukotriene A4 into leukotrienes B4, C4, D4 and E4.

Incubation of human endothelial cells with leukotriene A4 resulted in the formation of leukotrienes B4, C4, D4 and E4. Endothelial cells did not produce leukotrienes after stimulation with the ionophore A23187 and/or exogenously added arachidonic acid. However, incubation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes with ionophore A23187 together with endothelial cells led to an increased synthesis of cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes (364%, mean, n = 11) and leukotriene B4 (52%) as compared to leukocytes alone. Thus, the major part of leukotriene C4 recovered in mixed cultures was attributable to the presence of endothelial cells. Similar incubations of leukocytes with fibroblasts or smooth muscle cells did not cause an increased formation of leukotriene C4 or leukotriene B4. The increased biosynthesis of cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes and leukotriene B4 in coincubation of leukocytes and endothelial cells appeared to be caused by two independent mechanisms. First, cell interactions resulted in an increased production of the total amount of leukotrienes, suggesting a stimulation of the leukocyte 5-lipoxygenase pathway, induced by a factor contributed by endothelial cells. Secondly, when endothelial cells prelabeled with [35S]cysteine were incubated with either polymorphonuclear leukocytes and A23187, or synthetic leukotriene A4, the specific activity of the isolated cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes were similar. Thus, transfer of leukotriene A4 from stimulated leukocytes to endothelial cells appeared to be an important mechanism causing an increased formation of cysteinyl-containing leukotrienes in mixed cultures of leukocytes and endothelial cells. In conclusion, the present study indicates that the vascular endothelium, when interacting with activated leukocytes, modulates both the quantity and profile of liberated leukotrienes.

Arachidonic Acids↗
PubMed1994

Expression cloning of a cDNA for human leukotriene C4 synthase, an integral membrane protein conjugating reduced glutathione to leukotriene A4.

Leukotriene (LT) C4 synthase, an integral microsomal membrane protein, conjugates LTA4, an epoxide intermediate, to reduced glutathione (GSH) to form a proinflammatory mediator, LTC4. A sensitive fluorescence-linked immunoassay for LTC4 was used to screen a KG-1 cDNA expression library for LTC4 synthase activity after transfection of COS cells and addition of substrate LTA4. Stepwise resolution of 240,000 colonies in 96 pools led to the identification of individual clones with maximal LTC4 synthase activity that contained a 694-bp cDNA insert. This insert was composed of a 54-bp 5' nontranslated region, an ATTAAA polyadenylylation signal, and a poly(A)+ tail. The open reading frame encodes a 16.5-kDa protein with a pI of 11.05. Hybridization with a cDNA probe demonstrated a mRNA transcript of 0.7 kbp in RNAs from human eosinophils and KG-1 cells, which contain LTC4 synthase. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the LTC4 synthase cDNA show no significant homology to GSH S-transferases but share 31% overall amino acid identity with 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP). The identity at the N-terminal two-thirds of these two proteins is 44%, with some regions of near identity. Peptide structural analysis of the deduced LTC4 synthase predicts the presence of three transmembrane domains nearly superimposable on those of FLAP. Moreover, LTC4 synthase is inhibitable by a FLAP inhibitor, MK-886. Therefore, LTC4 synthase is distinct from the known GSH S-transferases by nucleotide and consensus amino acid sequences, and its GSH-conjugating function represents a distinct integral membrane protein belonging to a distinct gene family.

5-Lipoxygenase-Activating Proteins↗
PubMed1987

Conversion of leukotriene A4 to leukotriene B4: catalysis by human liver microsomes under anaerobic conditions.

During a 2-min incubation of leukotriene A4 (LTA4) with human liver microsomes, 1.7 mol% was converted into leukotriene B4 (LTB4). The reaction was dependent on protein concentration, time, and substrate concentration, was not supported by heat-inactivated microsomes, and did not require NADPH. Kinetic analysis of the reaction revealed apparent Michaelis-Menten type behavior (app Km approximately 20 microM). Production rates varied widely among three patients examined. Piperonyl butoxide, propanethiol, and cyclohexene oxide (1 mM) inhibited LTB4 formation by microsomal LTA4-hydrolase by 52, 40, and 60%, respectively. The latter two compounds were shown not to inhibit cytosolic LTA4-hydrolase activity. The activity of microsomal and cytosolic LTA4-hydrolase was decreased in the presence of 100% O2 by 45 and 64%, respectively. Direct chemical ionization mass spectrometry was used to obtain a mass spectrum of 50 ng of underivatized synthetic LTB4 free acid and show that this spectrum is identical with that of 10 ng of the product isolated from LTA4 hydrolysis by human liver microsomes. The authenticity of the biologically generated LTB4 was confirmed by functional characterization in a receptor displacement assay. Displacement of [3H]LTB4 from the high affinity receptors of LTB4 on human neutrophils revealed KD50 values of 8.2 and 5.1 nM for human liver microsome derived and synthetic LTB4, respectively. The nearly two-fold higher KD50 of the microsomally generated LTB4 is suggested to result from an epimeric mixture of the active 5(S),12(R)- and the less active 5(S),12(S)-dihydroxy-6,14-cis-8,10-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed1992

Mechanism-based inactivation of leukotriene A4 hydrolase/aminopeptidase by leukotriene A4. Mass spectrometric and kinetic characterization.

"Suicide" inactivation of leukotriene (LT) A4 hydrolase/aminopeptidase occurs via an irreversible mechanism-based process which is saturable, of pseudo firstorder, and dependent upon catalysis. Data obtained with either recombinant enzyme or enzyme purified from human leukocytes were similar. Apparent binding constants and inactivation rate constants are equivalent, compatible with a single type of substrate-enzyme complex which partitions between two fates, turnover and inactivation. Both catalytic functions are inactivated, consistent with an overlapping active site for this bifunctional enzyme. The partition ratio (turnover/inactivation) for the LTA4-enzyme complex is 129 +/- 16 for LTA4 hydrolase activity and 124 +/- 10 for aminopeptidase activity. The pH dependence for turnover and inactivation are indistinguishable with a maximum at pH 8. L-Proline p-nitroanilide, a weak substrate with a high Km for the aminopeptidase affords only partial protection against inactivation by LTA4. However, two potent competitive inhibitors, bestatin and captopril, protect both catalytic processes from inactivation, consistent with an active-site specificity for the suicide event. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry indicates that the molecular weight of pure recombinant enzyme is 69,399 +/- 4 and that covalent modification accompanies catalysis, producing an LTA4:enzyme adduct with a molecular weight 69,717 +/- 4 and a 1:1 stoichiometry. In agreement with kinetic data, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry shows that bestatin inhibits the covalent modification of enzyme by LTA4 and that the extent of modification is proportional to the loss of enzymatic activity.

Binding, Competitive↗
PubMed1993

Leukotriene B4 formation during human neutrophil keratinocyte interactions: evidence for transformation of leukotriene A4 by putative keratinocyte leukotriene A4 hydrolase.

In the present study, keratinocytes were coincubated with human neutrophils to determine whether or not an increase in leukotriene B4 formation can occur. Human keratinocytes used were cultured in serum-free, low-calcium medium, whereas neutrophils were purified from heparinized venous blood. After coincubations, formation of leukotriene B4 was determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with its characteristic UV scan. Confirmation and quantification was by radioimmunoassay. Our data revealed that incubations of keratinocytes (1.5 x 10(6)) alone stimulated with calcium ionophore resulted in no detectable amounts of leukotriene B4. In contrast, incubations of neutrophils (5 x 10(6)) alone resulted in the generation of 62.2 +/- 8.5 ng of LTB4. Coincubations of the neutrophils with keratinocytes (ratio 3:1) resulted in a 56-163% increase in leukotriene B4 formation. To delineate the source of the newly formed leukotriene B4, incubations of keratinocytes with leukotriene A4 revealed that keratinocytes can transform leukotriene A4 into leukotriene B4. These latter findings indicate that although keratinocytes cannot directly metabolize arachidonic acid into leukotriene B4 via the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, they can transform neutrophil-derived leukotriene A4 into leukotriene B4, thus indicating the possible existence of a putative keratinocyte-leukotriene A4 hydrolase. It is therefore reasonable to speculate that the keratinocytes possess the capacity to generate leukotriene B4 in the epidermis when provided leukotriene A4 and thereby can amplify the inflammatory processes occurring during neutrophil exocytosis. These findings indicate that transcellular metabolism of arachidonic acid metabolites in the epidermis by keratinocytes and neutrophils may contribute to the high levels of leukotriene B4 in lesional skin of inflammatory skin diseases.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1994

Human epidermis transforms exogenous leukotriene A4 into peptide leukotrienes: possible role in transcellular metabolism.

Leukotriene B4 formation can take place by cell interaction between keratinocytes and neutrophils. Thus, keratinocytes without proven 5-lipoxygenase activity can transform neutrophil-derived leukotriene A4 into leukotriene B4. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether human epidermis is able to transform leukotriene A4 sequentially into the peptide leukotrienes (LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4). Epidermis isolated using the suction blister technique or keratomed skin specimens were incubated with either neutrophils or exogenously added leukotriene A4. Peptide leukotrienes were determined by integrated optical density after RP-HPLC separation, and the identity of leukotrine C4 was confirmed by (1) the retention time similarity with authentic leukotriene C4; (2) the UV spectrum determined with an on-line diode array detector; and (3) conversion by gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase of the peak coeluting with authentic leukotriene C4 into a new peak coeluting with authentic leukotriene D4. The results of this study showed that while human epidermis cannot form detectable amounts of peptide leukotrienes by itself, it can transform exogenous leukotriene A4 into peptide leukotrienes. Furthermore, coincubation of human epidermis and neutrophils resulted in a marked increase (90%) in peptide leukotriene formation when compared with neutrophils alone, indicating that human epidermis can transform neutrophil-derived leukotriene A4 into peptide leukotrienes. These results indicate that human skin contains leukotriene C4 synthase activity capable of producing significant amounts of leukotriene C4 from leukotriene A4, and that the keratinocytes may play a more active role in peptide leukotriene formation in the skin than previously thought.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biotransformation↗
PubMed1990

Mechanism-based inactivation of leukotriene A4 hydrolase during leukotriene B4 formation by human erythrocytes.

Evidence is presented in support of a mechanism-based (suicide) inactivation of leukotriene A4 hydrolyase in intact human erythrocytes by leukotriene A4 and leukotriene A4 methyl ester. Loss of enzymatic activity, accompanying leukotriene B4 formation, was proportional to the substrate concentration. Inactivation was directly related to the amount of leukotriene B4 formation: for several, different experimental protocols 50% loss of hydrolase activity corresponded with formation of 10.3 +/- 2.1 microM leukotriene B4. The time course of inactivation was pseudo-first order and obeyed saturation kinetics. Apparent inactivation (KI) and first-order rate (ki) constants for leukotriene A4 were 28 microM and 0.35 min-1, respectively. Leukotriene A4 methyl ester was also a site-directed inactivator with a similar KI = 25 microM and a ki = 0.1 min-1. For single incubations substrate instability limited the extent of inactivation to 50% of the initial enzyme activity. Following multiple, consecutive incubations with leukotriene A4 this increased and approached 80-90%; however, a residual activity of 10-20% suggested that a pool of enzyme was not susceptible to inactivation. Recovery of enzymatic activity, following inactivation, was negligible in intact erythrocytes and isolated enzyme. A single radiolabeled protein, corresponding to leukotriene A4 hydrolase, was detected by electrophoretic analysis of the incubation between [3H]leukotriene A4 and erythrocytes, or partially purified enzyme. Incorporation of [3H]leukotriene A4 methyl ester into enzyme was linearly related to its inactivation: 191 +/- 5 pmol incorporated corresponded to 10% loss of activity. Results conform to criteria for a mechanism-based inactivation, in which leukotriene A4 participates in two parallel processes, one leading to leukotriene B4 formation, the other to "suicide" inactivation of leukotriene A4 hydrolase in intact erythrocytes. The specific, rather than indiscriminate nature of this process has implications for the regulation of cellular leukotriene B4 formation. It may also afford a basis to monitor transcellular biosynthesis of leukotriene B4 in vivo.

Epoxide Hydrolases↗
PubMed1997

Mutation of tyrosine 383 in leukotriene A4 hydrolase allows conversion of leukotriene A4 into 5S,6S-dihydroxy-7,9-trans-11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid. Implications for the epoxide hydrolase mechanism.

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase is a bifunctional zinc metalloenzyme that catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of the proinflammatory mediator leukotriene B4. In previous studies with site-directed mutagenesis on mouse leukotriene A4 hydrolase, we have identified Tyr-383 as a catalytic amino acid involved in the peptidase reaction. Further characterization of the mutants in position 383 revealed that [Y383H], [Y383F], and [Y383Q] leukotriene A4 hydrolases catalyzed hydrolysis of leukotriene A4 into a novel enzymatic metabolite. From analysis by high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of material generated in the presence of H216O or H218O, steric analysis of the hydroxyl groups, treatment with soybean lipoxygenase, and comparison with a synthetic standard, the novel metabolite was assigned the structure 5S, 6S-dihydroxy-7,9-trans-11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid (5S,6S-DHETE). The kinetic parameters for the formation of 5S,6S-DHETE and leukotriene B4 were found to be similar. Also, both activities were susceptible to suicide inactivation and were equally sensitive to inhibition by bestatin. Moreover, from the stereochemical configuration of the vicinal diol, it could be inferred that 5S, 6S-DHETE is formed via an SN1 mechanism involving a carbocation intermediate, which in turn indicates that enzymatic hydrolysis of leukotriene A4 into leukotriene B4 follows the same mechanism. Inasmuch as soluble epoxide hydrolase utilizes leukotriene A4 as substrate to produce 5S,6R-DHETE, our results also suggest a functional relationship between leukotriene A4 hydrolase and xenobiotic epoxide hydrolases.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Site-directed mutagenesis of leukotriene A4 hydrolase: distinction of leukotriene A4 hydrolase and aminopeptidase activities.

Leukotriene (LT) A4 hydrolase catalyzes enzymatic hydration of LTA4 to biologically active substance, LTB4. Biochemical and immuno-histochemical studies have shown that this enzyme is ubiquitously distributed in various cells and tissues. A sequence domain of LTA4 hydrolase was found to be homologous to those of several zinc metalloproteases. Both native and recombinant enzymes were shown to possess equimolar zinc ion and aminopeptidase activity. To examine the molecular mechanism of this enzyme reaction, site-directed mutagenesis experiments were carried out. Single amino acid substitutions at Glu-297 revealed a distinction of two enzyme activities, and suggest that the glutamic acid residue at 297 is essential for aminopeptidase, while the side chain of Glu or Gln is required for LTA4 hydrolase activity. The loss of two enzyme activities in a mutant E319K confirmed the proposal that the presence of a zinc ion in the enzyme is required for both enzyme activities.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase in the human lung. Inactivation of the enzyme with leukotriene A4 isomers.

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase from the human lung was purified to apparent homogeneity. The molecular weight (68,000-71,000), the amino acid composition, and the N-terminal amino acid sequence were similar to those of the human neutrophil enzyme but different from those of human erythrocyte enzyme. The lung enzyme was inactivated by its substrate, leukotriene A4. To elucidate the substrate and the inactivator specificity of this enzyme, we synthesized various geometric and positional isomers of leukotriene A4. 14,15-Leukotriene A4, leukotriene A4 methyl ester, and geometric isomers of leukotriene A4 could not serve as substrates, but they inactivated the enzyme. On the other hand, styrene oxide and (5S)-trans-5,6-oxide-8,10,14-cis-12-trans-eicosatetraenoic acid neither served as substrates nor inactivated the enzyme. These results indicate that whereas allylic epoxide structures of arachidonic acids are responsible for inactivation of the enzyme, the free carboxylic acid, 5,6-oxide, and the tetraene structure with the 7,9-trans-11,14-cis configuration are required as a substrate for leukotriene A4 hydrolase.

Arachidonic Acids↗
PubMed1987

Specificity of the glutathione S-transferases in the conversion of leukotriene A4 to leukotriene C4.

We have synthesized the 5,6-LTA4, 8,9-LTA4, and 14,15-LTA4 as methyl esters by an improved biomimetic method with yields as high as 70-80%. We have investigated the catalytic efficiency of the purified cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) isozymes from rat liver in the conversion of these leukotriene epoxides to their corresponding LTC4 methyl esters. Among various rat liver GST isozymes, the anionic isozyme, a homodimer of Yb subunit, exhibited the highest specific activity. In general, the isozymes containing the Yb subunit showed better activity than the isozymes containing the Ya and/or Yc subunits. Interestingly, all three different LTA4 methyl esters gave comparable specific activities with a given GST isozyme indicating that regiospecificity of GSTs was not the factor in determining their ability to catalyze this reaction. Surprisingly, purified GSTs from sheep lung and seminal vesicles showed little activity toward these leukotriene epoxides, indicating a lack of the counterpart of rat liver anionic GST isozyme in these tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Kinetic mechanism of glutathione conjugation to leukotriene A4 by leukotriene C4 synthase.

The kinetic mechanism for human leukotriene (LT) C4 synthase, a membrane-bound glutathione S-transferase, which catalyzes the conjugation of glutathione (GSH) to 5,6-oxido-7,9,11, 14-eicosatetraenoic acid (LTA4), to form 5(S)-hydroxy-6(R)-S-glutathionyl-7,9,trans-11, 14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid (LTC4) was investigated by initial rate kinetic studies in which concentrations of both substrates and the reversible dead-end inhibitor, 2-[2-[1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-4-methyl-6-[(5-phenylpyridin-2-yl)- methoxy]- 4,5-dihydro-1H-thiopyrano[2,3,4-c,d]indol-2-yl]ethoxy]butanoic acid (L-699,333) were varied. Analysis of the initial velocities of LTC4 formation in the absence of the inhibitor using non-linear regression fits of various models to the data favoured a random, rapid equilibrium mechanism, with strong substrate inhibition by LTA4, over both a compulsory ordered mechanism and a ping-pong mechanism. The estimated parameters were calculated to be Vmax = 14 +/- 4 microM/min, KLTA4 = 40 +/- 18 microM, KGSH = 0.4 +/- 0.2 mM, and a KiLTA4 = 2.3 +/- 1.7 microM for the rapid equilibrium random model. Inhibition of enzymatic activity by L-699,333 was found to be reversible as assessed by the ability of the enzyme to restore its activity by 95% upon dilution. L-699,333 was found to be a competitive inhibitor against GSH and non-competitive against LTA4. Non-linear least squares regression analysis yielded estimated parameters of Km = 0.7 +/- 0.1 mM, Vmax = 2.5 +/- 0.1 microM/min, and Ki = 0.7 +/- 0.1 microM for GSH at a fixed LTA4 concentration of 20 microM, and Km = 45 +/- 3 microM, Vmax = 4.9 +/- 0.2 microM/min, and a Ki = 5.8+/-0.4 microM for LTA4 at a fixed GSH concentration of 2 mM. The rate equation for the random equilibrium mechanism accommodates the inhibition patterns observed for L-699,333 against both substrates as revealed by kinetic fits of the inhibition data to the overall rate equation.

Enzyme Inhibitors↗
PubMed1996

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase, mutation of tyrosine 378 allows conversion of leukotriene A4 into an isomer of leukotriene B4.

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of the proinflammatory compound leukotriene B4, a reaction which is accompanied by suicide inactivation of the enzyme by leukotriene A4. We have recently reported that Tyr-378 is a major structural determinant for suicide inactivation and that mutation of Tyr-378 into Phe or Gln protects leukotriene A4 hydrolase from this catalytic restriction (Mueller, M. J., Blomster, M., Opperman, U. C. T., Jörnvall, H., Samuelsson, B., and Haeggström, J. Z. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 5931-5935). In the present study, we show that both [Y378F]- and [Y378Q]leukotriene A4 hydrolase converts leukotriene A4 not only into leukotriene B4 but also into a second, previously unknown, product of the enzyme. From biophysical analyses and comparison with a synthetic standard, the structure of this product was determined to 5S,12R-dihydroxy-6,10-trans-8, 14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid, i.e. Delta6-trans-Delta8-cis-leukotriene B4. The relative formation of Delta6-trans-Delta8-cis-leukotriene B4 versus leukotriene B4 by [Y378F]- and [Y378Q]leukotriene A4 hydrolase, was 18% and 32%, respectively. For [Y378F]leukotriene A4 hydrolase, the turnover of leukotriene A4 into leukotriene B4 or Delta6-trans-Delta8-cis-leukotriene B4 was calculated to 2.5 s-1 which is almost three times the kcat value of the wild type enzyme. Taken together, these findings indicate that Tyr-378 is located at the active site where it assists in the formation of the correct double-bond geometry in the product leukotriene B4.

Binding Sites↗