Blood levels of leukotrienes in chronic hepatitis.

概要

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The leukotrienes are derived from arachidonic acid via a lipoxigenase pathway and are potent mediators of inflammation and allergy. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) not only causes chemotaxis, chemokinesis and degranulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes but also involves in the enhanced production of interleukin 1 from macrophages, interleukin 2 and interferon-gamma production from T lymphocytes and activation of natural killer (NK) cells. Leukotriene C4 (LTC4) enhances vascular permeability and induces tissue edema. Recently, it is suggested that leukotrienes may be key mediators in inflammatory liver diseases. In this study, to clarify the relation of leukotrienes to liver injury, we have examined the blood levels of LTB4 and LTC4 in chronic hepatitis.<BR>Leukotrienes were assayed using with the combination of technique of reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay.<BR>The following results were obtained. (a) The blood level of LTB4 in chronic hepatitis was significantly higher than control group. (b) No significant difference of blood level of LTC4 between chronic hepatitis and control group was obtained.<BR>These results suggested that increased levels of LTB4 may be involved in the inflammatory and immunologic events in liver tissue in chronic hepatitis.
日本炎症・再生医学会の論文