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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Real-time Imaging of Leukotriene B4 Mediated Cell Migration and BLT1 Interactions with β-arrestin
Published on: December 23, 2010
Molecular and catalytic properties of three rat leukotriene C(4) synthase homologs
Oliver Schröder1, Mattias Sjöström, Hong Qiu
1Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, S-17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract:
The committed step in the biosynthesis of cysteinyl-leukotrienes is catalyzed by leukotriene C(4) synthase as well as microsomal glutathione S-transferase (MGST) type 2 and type 3, which belong to a family of membrane-associated proteins in eicosanoid and glutathione metabolism (MAPEG). We cloned and characterized these three enzymes from the rat to allow a side-by-side comparison of structural and catalytic properties. The proteins are 79.6-86.7% identical to the human orthologs. Rat MGST3 fails to convert leukotriene A(4) into leukotriene C(4), which in turn challenges the proposed catalytic role of a conserved Arg and Tyr residue for the leukotriene C(4) synthase reaction. Comparative inhibitor studies of all three enzymes, using MK-886 and cysteinyl-leukotrienes, indicate that their catalytic centers originate from structurally related and overlapping active sites. Hence, it seems feasible to design enzyme inhibitors, which simultaneously target several members of this protein family to yield compounds with increased anti-inflammatory action.
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