[Lipoxygenase inhibition and protection of cardiovascular system]

The arachidonic cascade involves three types of metabolic pathways; cyclo-oxygenase, lipoxygenase(LO), and cytochrome P450. The products of LO pathway participate in the pathogenesis of variety of disease such as allergic diseases and hypertension. In particular, 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid(12-HETE); product of 12-LO pathway, is concerned in the development of hypertension induced by angiotensin-II. In fact, several investigators have reported that 12-HETE has a critical role in hypertension and LO inhibitors have antihypertensive effects in experimental animals. And so, we can expect organ-protective effects of LO inhibitors as well as antihypertensive effects. Besides 12-LO, several investigators mentioned that 5- and 15-LO also have influences to cardiovascular systems. Therefore, we can expect further elucidation of the mechanism of 12-LO's participation in the organ damage and the clinical roles of 12-LO inhibitors to prevent from organ failure in future.