Lipoxygenase products of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in the central nervous system: biosynthesis and putative functions

Twenty-five years ago prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha was identified as the first cyclooxygenase-derived metabolite of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in the bovine central nervous system (CNS). On the other hand, 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) was the first lipoxygenase product of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism to be identified in rat and gerbil brain. For various cyclooxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism a substantial body of evidence suggests a mediator role in CNS functions such as in the regulation of local blood flow, in the induction of fever and in the prevention or limitation of seizure activity. By contrast, rather limited information is available on the possible roles of lipoxygenase products of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in the CNS. This review is intended to give a survey on biosynthesis, regional distribution and possible functional importance of HETEs and leukotrienes (LT) in the CNS.