Expression of arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase in rat tissues: a possible role in glucagon secretion

There are three isoforms of arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase in mammals: platelet, leukocyte, and epidermal types. We found in this study that the leukocyte-type enzyme was present in rat pineal gland, lung, spleen, aorta, adrenal gland, spinal cord, and pancreas, as assessed by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the enzyme was localized in macrophages in lung and spleen, alpha-cells of pancreatic islet, zona glomerulosa cells of adrenal cortex, and neuronal cells of spinal cord and superior cervical ganglion. The presence of the 12-lipoxygenase in pancreatic alpha-cells was confirmed by glucagon staining in a consecutive section. We overexpressed the leukocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase cDNA in a glucagon-secreting alphaTC clone 6 cell line that had been established from a transgenic mouse. Glucagon secretion was stimulated by approximately twofold in the 12-lipoxygenase-expressing cells compared to the mock-transfected and original cells. The results suggest that the 12-lipoxygenase of the leukocyte type augments glucagon secretion from pancreatic islets.