Effect of 15-(s)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid on allergen-induced asthmatic responses

15-(s)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE), a major oxidative metabolite of arachidonic acid in human lungs, has complex actions on the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in different cell systems. We have examined the effect of inhaled 15-HETE on the early and late asthmatic responses (EAR and LAR) and the associated change in nonspecific bronchial responsiveness to inhaled allergen in 10 subjects with atopic asthma. On 2 separate days 3 wk apart, subjects inhaled either 70 nmol 15-HETE or the diluent (sodium phosphate buffer) in a randomized and double-blind fashion, followed by a dose of allergen that had previously been shown to produce a 25% fall in baseline FEV1. Analysis of the area under the FEV1 response time course curves (AUC) in the first hour revealed that preinhalation with 15-HETE increased the EAR by 39% from that achieved after the diluent (p less than 0.05). In the seven subjects who were classified as dual responders by developing a LAR previously (greater than 15% fall in baseline FEV1 3 to 8 h after allergen challenge), 15-HETE did not cause any significant change in the magnitude of the LAR when compared with that observed after placebo. The values of the provocation concentration of histamine causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (Pc20) at 8 h postchallenge were significantly reduced on both study days when compared with the corresponding preallergen challenge values, whether analyzed for the whole group or for the seven dual responders (p less than 0.05). 15-HETE had no effect on this allergen-acquired airway hyperresponsiveness to histamine when compared with the diluent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)