Altered arachidonate metabolism by leukocytes and platelets in myeloproliferative disorders

The arachidonate metabolism by leukocytes and platelets was studied in 14 patients with myeloproliferative disorders including 7 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), 5 with polycythemia vera (PV) and 2 with essential thrombocythemia (ET). When the leukocytes were incubated with arachidonate and A23187, leukotriene B4 and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) were constantly detected using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography in normal subjects, while selective deficiency of 5-lipoxygenase products (leukotriene B4 and 5-HETE) was found in 4 patients with CML. this novel abnormality of the leukocytes seemed to be derived from the possible deficiency of 5-lipoxygenase in these patients' polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNNs). The formation of 15-HETE appeared to be almost normal in all the patients. Platelet 12-lipoxygenase deficiency was detected in 2 patients with PV and 2 with CML in whom one was associated with the deficiency of 5-lipoxygenase products. These bicellular abnormalities of the arachidonate metabolism might contribute to understand dysfunctions of PMNNs and platelets in some patients with myeloproliferative disorders.