Effects of tenuiorin and methyl orsellinate from the lichen Peltigera leucophlebia on 5-/15-lipoxygenases and proliferation of malignant cell lines in vitro.

The orcinol derivatives tenuiorin (1) and methyl orsellinate (2) were identified as active components of an extract from the lichen Peltigera leucophlebia (Nyl.) Gyeln. showing in vitro inhibitory activity against 15-lipoxygenase from soybeans. The compounds were subsequently tested for in vitro activity against 5-lipoxygenase from porcine leucocytes and proved to be moderately active, with IC50 values of 41.6 microM and 59.6 microM respectively. Tenuiorin is a known constituent of several Peltigera species but has not previously been isolated from P. leucophlebia. As correlation between 5-lipoxygenase inhibition and antiproliferative effects has earlier been witnessed for related lichen metabolites, tenuiorin and methyl orsellinate were further tested for antiproliferative activity on cultured human breast (T-47D)-, pancreatic (PANC-1)- and colon (WIDR) cancer cell lines. The monomeric methyl orsellinate exhibited no detectable antiproliferative activity whereas the trimeric tenuiorin caused moderate/weak reduction in [3H]-thymidine uptake of the pancreatic- and colon cancer cells, with ED50 values of 87.9 and 98.3 microM respectively.     

Molecular cloning and expression of human arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase

The cDNA for a 12-lipoxygenase was isolated from cDNA library of human erythroleukemia cells. The cDNA had an open reading frame encoding 663 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 75,513. The deduced amino acid sequence of human 12-lipoxygenase exhibited 41.5%, 65.3% and 65.4% identity with human 5-lipoxygenase, human 15-lipoxygenase and porcine 12-lipoxygenase, respectively. Blot hybridization analysis of RNA from human erythroleukemia cells demonstrated a single species (3.1 kb) of mRNA with the cDNA probe for 12-lipoxygenase of these cells, but not with the cDNA for porcine leukocyte enzyme. The cytosol of Escherichia coli transformed with a recombinant pUC19 plasmid oxygenated the position 12 of arachidonic acid.     

Studies on the regulation, biosynthesis, and activation of 5-lipoxygenase in differentiated HL60 cells

Exposure of human HL60 cells to dimethyl sulfoxide results in their differentiation to mature granulocyte-like cells that concomitantly acquire the capacity to synthesize leukotrienes. The appearance of 5-lipoxygenase mRNA during differentiation indicated that these cells provide a useful model system for the biosynthesis and regulation of 5-lipoxygenase. Immunoblot analysis of protein from differentiated HL60 cells detected a 78,000-Da species comigrating with 5-lipoxygenase purified from human peripheral blood leukocytes. Metabolic labeling studies indicated that both undifferentiated and differentiated HL60 cells synthesized 5-lipoxygenase; however, the differentiated cells incorporated approximately 4.4-fold more [35S]methionine into 5-lipoxygenase protein than did controls. In addition, the differentiated HL60 cells contained approximately 3.3-fold more 5-lipoxygenase enzyme activity than undifferentiated cells. Metabolic labeling studies failed to demonstrate any post-translational modifications of 5-lipoxygenase, including proteolysis, mannose glycosylation, myristic acid acylation, or phosphorylation. When differentiated HL60 cells were incubated with [35S]methionine for 4 versus 16 h, no difference was observed in the pattern of total radiolabeled supernatant protein; however, there was a significant increase in the incorporation of radioactivity into immunoprecipitable 5-lipoxygenase protein from cells labeled for 16 as compared with 4 h. Pulse-chase studies demonstrated that the t1/2 of 5-lipoxygenase in these cells is approximately 26 h. Activation of differentiated HL60 cells with Ca2+ ionophore A23187 resulted in the loss of 5-lipoxygenase protein and activity from the cytosol and the accumulation of inactive protein in a membrane fraction. Following ionophore stimulation, no augmentation in the rate of 5-lipoxygenase synthesis occurred in order to compensate for the loss of the translocated/inactive enzyme. Finally, additional 5-lipoxygenase was able to translocate to the membrane in response to subsequent ionophore challenges.     

Identification of two novel nuclear import sequences on the 5-lipoxygenase protein

The nuclear import of 5-lipoxygenase modulates its capacity to produce leukotrienes from arachidonic acid. However, the molecular determinants of its nuclear import are unknown. Recently, we used structural and functional criteria to identify a novel import sequence at Arg(518) on human 5-lipoxygenase (Jones, S. M., Luo, M., Healy, A. M., Peters-Golden, M., and Brock, T. G. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 38550-38556). However, this analysis also indicated that other import sequences must exist. Here, we identify two additional sites, at Arg(112) and Lys(158), as nuclear import sequences. Both sites were found to be common to 5-lipoxygenases from different species but not found on other lipoxygenases. Both sites also appeared to be a part of structures that were predominantly random loops. Peptide sequences at these sites were sufficient to direct nuclear import of green fluorescent protein. Mutation of basic residues in these sites impaired nuclear import and combinations of mutations at different sites were additive in effect. Mutations in all three sites were required to disable nuclear accumulation of 5-lipoxygenase in all cells. Significantly, mutation in these sites did not inhibit catalytic function. Taken together, these results indicate that nuclear import of 5-lipoxygenase may reflect the combined functional effects of three discrete import sequences. Mutation of individual sites can, by itself, impair nuclear import, which in turn could impact arachidonic acid metabolism.     

Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase of porcine leukocytes studied by enzyme immunoassay using monoclonal antibodies

The cytosol fraction of porcine leukocytes contained 5-lipoxygenase, the activity of which was masked by a predominant activity of 12-lipoxygenase. The 5-lipoxygenase was partially purified to a specific activity of about 10 nmol of arachidonic acid oxygenated/min/mg of protein and given to mice as an antigen to prepare monoclonal antibodies against the enzyme. Two species of antibodies recognized separate sites of the 5-lipoxygenase protein and did not cross-react with 12-lipoxygenase. They were utilized to develop a peroxidase-linked immunoassay of sandwich-type, which allowed a quantitative determination of the 5-lipoxygenase protein. The assay was applied to a screening of the 5-lipoxygenase content in various porcine tissues. By far the highest content of 5-lipoxygenase was found in leukocytes. About one-tenth the amount of the enzyme was found in lung, pancreas, ileum, and thymus, which could not be attributed to the contaminating leukocytes in these tissues.     

Uptake, release and novel species-dependent oxygenation of arachidonic acid in human and animal airway epithelial cells

To determine identities of mediators and mechanisms for their release from pulmonary airway epithelial cells, we examined the capacities of epithelial cells from human, dog and sheep airways to incorporate, release and oxygenate arachidonic acid. Purified cell suspensions were incubated with radiolabeled arachidonic acid and/or ionophore A23187; fatty acid esterification and hydrolysis were traced chromatographically, and oxygenated metabolites were identified using high-pressure liquid chromatography and mass-spectrometry. In each species, cellular uptake of 10 nM arachidonic acid was concentrated in the phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine fractions, and subsequent incubation with 5 microM A23187 caused release of 10-12% of the radiolabeled pool selectively from phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. By contrast, the products of arachidonic acid oxygenation were species-dependent and in the case of human cells were also novel: A23187-stimulated human epithelial cells converted arachidonic acid predominantly to 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) and two distinct 8,15-diols in addition to prostaglandin (PG) E2 and PGF2 alpha. Cell incubation with exogenous arachidonic acid (2.0-300 microM) led to progressively larger amounts of 15-HETE and the dihydroxy, epoxyhydroxy and keto acids characteristic of arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase. Both dog and sheep cells converted exogenous or endogenous arachidonic acid to low levels of 5-lipoxygenase products, including leukotriene B4 without significant 15-lipoxygenase activity. In the cyclooxygenase series, sheep cells selectively released PGE2, while dog cells generated predominantly PGD2. The findings demonstrate that stereotyped esterification and phospholipase activities are expressed at uniform levels among airway epithelial cells from these species, but pathways for oxygenating arachidonic acid allow mediator diversity depending greatly on species and little on arachidonic acid presentation.     

12-Lipoxygenase from rat basophilic leukemia cells, an oxygenase with leukotriene A4-synthase activity.

Rat basophilic leukemia cells exhibit 12-lipoxygenase activity only upon cell disruption. 12-Lipoxygenase may also possess 15-lipoxygenase activity, as is indicated by the formation of low amounts of 15(S)-HETE, in addition to the predominant product 12(S)-HETE, upon incubation of partially purified 12-lipoxygenase with arachidonic acid. With 5(S)-HPETE as substrate not only 5(S), 12(S)-diHETE and 5(S), 15(S)-diHETE are formed, but also LTA4, as was indicated by the presence of LTA4-derived LTB4-isomers. 12-Lipoxygenase from rat basophilic leukemia cells has many features in common with 12-lipoxygenase from bovine leukocytes. As was suggested for the latter enzyme, 12-lipoxygenase from rat basophilic leukemia cells may represent the remaining LTA4-synthase activity of 5-lipoxygenase, of which the 5-dioxygenase activity has disappeared upon cell disruption. Such a possible shift from 5-lipoxygenase activity to 12-lipoxygenase activity could not simply be induced by interaction of cytosolic 5-lipoxygenase with a membrane fraction after cell disruption, but may involve release of membrane-associated 5-lipoxygenase upon disruption of activated rat basophilic leukemia cells.     

Reversible membrane association of neutrophil 5-lipoxygenase is accompanied by retention of activity and a change in substrate specificity.

Ionophore activation of the human polymorphonuclear neutrophil results in eicosanoid synthesis and the accumulation of inactive 5-lipoxygenase in a membrane compartment. We report here that inhibition of self-inactivation of 5-lipoxygenase in ionophore-treated neutrophils with the reversible inhibitor zileuton, results in the accumulation of active 5-lipoxygenase in the membrane fraction. In zileuton plus ionophore-treated cells, 77% of the specific activity of the cytosolic enzyme from resting cells was diverted to the membrane fraction compared to 22% of the activity translocated when ionophore alone was used to activate the neutrophils. Accumulation of active membrane-associated 5-lipoxygenase was inhibited and reversed by the 5-lipoxygenase translocation inhibitor MK-886. The membrane-associated 5-lipoxygenase was two times more efficient in the production of leukotriene A4 from arachidonate-derived 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid than the cytosolic enzyme. Unlike the cytosolic enzyme, membrane-associated 5-lipoxygenase could metabolize 12(S)- and 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid to 5(S),12(S)- and 5(S),15(S)-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, respectively. The ability to metabolize hydroxy fatty acids was dependent upon 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein association, but was lost if 5-lipoxygenase was eluted from the membrane by MK-886. These studies reveal for the first time that significant quantities of active 5-lipoxygenase can be detected in the membrane fraction of activated neutrophils and show that membrane association can alter the substrate specificity of 5-lipoxygenase which is further evidence for the role of the membrane-associated enzyme in the synthesis of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites.     

Molecular evolution of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase

Four oxygenases of the arachidonic acid cascade (cyclooxygenase, 5-lipoxygenase, 12-lipoxygenase and 15-lipoxygenase) were investigated by the method of computer-assisted sequence comparison. From the calculations, some aspects of evolution and function of these enzymes were revealed. (1) The evolutionary origin of cyclooxygenases was different from that of lipoxygenases. (2) Cyclooxygenase was a distantly related member of a peroxidase family. (3) Enzymes with 12-lipoxygenase activity were created independently twice by gene duplication.     

Molecular evolution of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase.

Four oxygenases of the arachidonic acid cascade (cyclooxygenase, 5-lipoxygenase, 12-lipoxygenase and 15-lipoxygenase) were investigated by the method of computer-assisted sequence comparison. From the calculations, some aspects of evolution and function of these enzymes were revealed. (1) The evolutionary origin of cyclooxygenase was different from that of lipoxygenases. (2) Cyclooxygenase was a distantly related member of a peroxidase family. (3) Enzymes with 12-lipoxygenase activity were created independently twice by gene duplication.     

6,7,4'-Trihydroxyisoflavan: a potent and selective inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase in human and porcine peripheral blood leukocytes

The effect of 6,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavan on human platelet 12-lipoxygenase and human and porcine PMNL 5-lipoxygenase activities has been studied. 6,7,4'-Trihydroxyisoflavan was found to inhibit 5-lipoxygenase more strongly than 12-lipoxygenase; its concentration for 50% inhibition (IC50) was 1.6 microM for human and porcine 5-lipoxygenase and 22 microM for human platelet 12-lipoxygenase. Inhibition of microsomal cyclooxygenase from ram seminal vesicles is exhibited at much higher concentrations of 6,7,4'-trihydroxyisoflavan (IC50 = 200 microM).     

Inhibitory effect of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase on the activity of lipoxygenases and cyclooxygenases

The partially purified phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) from A431 cells was used to systematically compare the inhibitory effect on the enzyme activity of various lipoxygenases and cyclooxygenases. Under the standard assay system, platelet 12-lipoxygenase, 15-lipoxygenase, and cyclooxygenase-2 were the most sensitive to the inhibition by PHGPx. 5-Lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-1 were less sensitive to the inhibition by PHGPx than platelet 12-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-2, respectively, and the difference was approximately 10-fold. Reduction of 12(S)-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid to 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid by PHGPx was observed in the presence of glutathione (GSH), and the inhibitory effect of PHGPx on 12-lipoxygenase-catalyzed arachidonate metabolism was reversed by the addition of exogenous lipid hydroperoxide. The results indicate that PHGPx directly reduced lipid hydroperoxides and then down-regulated the activity of arachidonate oxygenases. Moreover, a high-level expression of PHGPx mRNA and its 12-lipoxygenase-inhibitory activity was observed in cancer cells and endothelial cells, and these results suggest that PHGPx may play a significant role in the regulation of reactive oxygen species formation in these cells.     

Structural basis for lipoxygenase specificity. Conversion of the human leukocyte 5-lipoxygenase to a 15-lipoxygenating enzyme species by site-directed mutagenesis

Mammalian lipoxygenases constitute a heterogeneous family of lipid-peroxidizing enzymes, and the various isoforms are categorized with respect to their positional specificity of arachidonic acid oxygenation into 5-, 8-, 12-, and 15-lipoxygenases. Structural modeling suggested that the substrate binding pocket of the human 5-lipoxygenase is 20% bigger than that of the reticulocyte-type 15-lipoxygenase; thus, reduction of the active-site volume was suggested to convert a 5-lipoxygenase to a 15-lipoxygenating enzyme species. To test this "space-based" hypothesis of the positional specificity, the volume of the 5-lipoxygenase substrate binding pocket was reduced by introducing space-filling amino acids at critical positions, which have previously been identified as sequence determinants for the positional specificity of other lipoxygenase isoforms. We found that single point mutants of the recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase exhibited a similar specificity as the wild-type enzyme but double, triple, and quadruple mutations led to a gradual alteration of the positional specificity from 5S- via 8S- toward 15S-lipoxygenation. The quadruple mutant F359W/A424I/N425M/A603I exhibited a major 15S-lipoxygenase activity (85-95%), with (8S,5Z,9E,11Z,14Z)-8-hydroperoxyeicosa-5,9 ,11, 14-tetraenoic acid being a minor side product. These data indicate the principle possibility of interconverting 5- and 15-lipoxygenases by site-directed mutagenesis and appear to support the space-based hypothesis of positional specificity.     

MUC5AC mucin release from human airways in vitro: effects of indomethacin and Bay X1005

BACKGROUND: Increased secretion of mucus is a hallmark of many respiratory diseases and contributes significantly to the airflow limitation experienced by many patients. While the current pharmacological approach to reducing mucus and sputum production in patients is limited, clinical studies have suggested that drugs which inhibit the cyclooxygenase and/or 5-lipoxygenase enzymatic pathways may reduce secretory activity in patients with airway disease. AIM: This study was performed to investigate the effects of indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and Bay x 1005 (5-lipoxygenase inhibitor) on MUC5AC release from human airways in vitro. METHODS: An immunoradiometric assay was used to determine the quantities of MUC5AC present in the biological fluids derived from human airways in vitro. The measurements were made with a mixture of eight monoclonal antibodies (MAbs; PM8) of which the 21 M1 MAb recognized a recombinant M1 mucin partially encoded by the MUC5AC gene. RESULTS: The quantities of MUC5AC detected in the biological fluids derived from human bronchial preparations were not modified after treatment with indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and/or an inhibitor of the 5-lipoxygenase metabolic pathway (BAY x 1005). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase metabolic pathways play little or no role in the release of MUC5AC from human airways.     

Translocation of 5-lipoxygenase to the membrane in human leukocytes challenged with ionophore A23187

Challenge of human peripheral blood leukocytes with ionophore A23187 resulted in leukotriene (LT) synthesis, a decrease in total cellular 5-lipoxygenase activity, and a change in the subcellular localization of the enzyme. In homogenates from control cells, greater than 90% of the 5-lipoxygenase activity and protein was localized in the cytosol (100,000 X g supernatant). Ionophore challenge (2 microM) resulted in a loss of approximately 55% of the enzymatic activity and 35% of the enzyme protein from the cytosol. Concomitantly, there was an accumulation of inactive 5-lipoxygenase in the membrane (100,000 X g pellets) which accounted for at least 45% of the lost cytosolic protein. There was a good correlation between the quantities of LT synthesized and 5-lipoxygenase recovered in the membrane over an ionophore concentration range of 0.1-6 microM. The time course of the membrane association was similar to that of LT synthesis. Furthermore, although the pellet-associated enzyme recovered from ionophore-treated leukocytes was inactive, an irreversible, Ca2+-dependent membrane association of active 5-lipoxygenase could be demonstrated in cell-free systems. To determine whether ionophore treatment induced proteolytic degradation of 5-lipoxygenase, the total activity and protein content of 10,000 X g supernatants from control and ionophore-treated cells were examined. These supernatants, which included both cytosolic and membrane-associated enzyme, showed a 35% loss of 5-lipoxygenase activity but only an 8% loss of enzyme protein as a result of ionophore challenge (2 microM). Therefore, the majority of the loss of 5-lipoxygenase activity was most likely due to suicide inactivation during the LT synthesis, rather than to proteolytic degradation. Together these results are consistent with the hypothesis that ionophore treatment results in a Ca2+-dependent translocation of 5-lipoxygenase from the cytosol to a membrane-bound site, that the membrane-associated enzyme is preferentially utilized for LT synthesis, and that it is consequently inactivated. Thus, membrane translocation of 5-lipoxygenase may be an important initial step in the chain of events leading to full activation of this enzyme in the intact leukocyte.     

Regulation of the human leukocyte 5-lipoxygenase: stimulation by micromolar Ca2+ levels and phosphatidylcholine vesicles

Human leukocyte 5-lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.11.12) is unique among the human lipoxygenase not only in its requirement for free ionized calcium, but also in its regulation by a membrane-associated stimulatory factor, the 100,000 x g pellet. In the present study, phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles, in the absence of 100,000 x g pellet, exhibited a dose-dependent stimulatory activity on the 5-lipoxygenase, which was at least as effective as the 100,000 x g pellet. Furthermore, the enzyme was activated by isolated human neutrophil plasma membranes and to a lesser degree by endoplasmic reticulum. The chemoattractant peptide fMet-Leu-Phe (0.1 microM), GTP (10 microM), toxin from bacterium Bordetella pertussis (islet activating protein, 5 micrograms/ml) and their various combinations were unable to modulate the enzymatic activity of the 5-lipoxygenase. Stimulation of the 5-lipoxygenase by relatively low levels of free ionized calcium was observed both in the presence of the pellet and PC vesicles: maximal stimulation was seen at about 10 microM Ca2+. The human leukocyte leukotriene A4 synthase activity also exhibited a similar requirement for free calcium ions. The present study indicates that the membrane-associated stimulatory factor of the human leukocyte 5-lipoxygenase may be replaced by PC vesicles. Moreover, the 5-lipoxygenase and leukotriene A4 synthase activities require significantly lower Ca2+ levels for maximal activation than has been reported previously.     

Feedback activation of ferrous 5-lipoxygenase during leukotriene synthesis by coexisting linoleic acid

Ferrous lipoxygenases seem to be activated through a feedback control mechanism via FA hydroperoxides generated from PUFAs by partially existing ferric lipoxygenases. However, during leukotriene synthesis, feedback activation of ferrous 5-lipoxygenase in the presence of arachidonic acid (AA) was not observed. In the present study, we examined the feedback activation of ferrous 5-lipoxygenase in the 5-lipoxygenase/AA system in the presence of linoleic aicd (LA), which is a predominant component of membrane phospholipids. When potato 5-lipoxygenase was incubated with AA and LA in the presence of nitroxyl radical, 3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3-pyrroline-N-oxyl (CmDeltaP), one-electron redox cycle reaction between ferric and ferrous 5-lipoxygenase was detected. For each revolution of the cycle, one molecule of PUFA and one molecule of its hydroperoxide were converted into PUFA-allyl radical-CmDeltaP adduct ([PUFA-H].-CmDeltaP) and PUFA-epoxyallyl radical-CmDeltaP adduct ([PUFA-H+O].-CmDeltaP), respectively. The ratios, [AA-H].-CmDeltaP/[LA-H].-CmDeltaP and [AA-H+O].-CmDeltaP/[LA-H+O].-CmDeltaP, were estimated to be 1.7 and 0.13, respectively. These facts indicate that ferrous 5-lipoxygenase is activated through feedback control in the presence of LA, and that resulting ferric 5-lipoxygenase catalyzes the stoichiometric synthesis of leukotrienes from AA. In conclusion, the biosynthesis of leukotrienes is remarkably efficient.     

Inhibition of leukotriene formation in human leukocytes by halothane

The effects of an inhalation anesthetic, halothane (2-bromo-2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane) on the formation of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites such as leukotriene B4, 5(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE), 6-trans-isomers of leukotriene B4 and leukotriene C4 were studied in human leukocytes stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187. Halothane inhibited the formation of all these metabolites dose dependently and the formation was restored by removal of the drug. The anesthetic also reversibly inhibited the release of [3H]arachidonic acid from neutrophils with a half-inhibition concentration of less than 0.19 mM. The formation of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites was not inhibited by the anesthetic when leukocytes were stimulated with the ionophore in the presence of exogenous arachidonic acid. These observations indicate that the inhibitory effect of halothane on the formation of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites in leukocytes is mainly due to the inhibition of arachidonic acid release.     

Characterization of the activity of purified recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase in the absence and presence of leukocyte factors.

Purified recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase was used to investigate the catalytic properties of the protein in the presence and absence of leukocyte stimulatory factors. Recombinant human 5-lipoxygenase was purified to apparent homogeneity (95-99%) from a high expression baculovirus system by chromatography on ATP-agarose with a yield of 0.6 mg of protein per 100 ml of culture (2 x 10(8) cells) and a specific activity of 3-6 mumol of 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HPETE) per mg of protein in the presence of ATP, Ca2+, and phosphatidylcholine as the only factors. In the absence of leukocyte factors, the reaction catalyzed by the purified recombinant enzyme showed a half-time of maximal 5-HPETE formation of 0.5-0.7 min and was sensitive to the selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors BW755C (IC50 = 13 microM) and L-656,224 (IC50 = 0.8 microM). The reaction products of arachidonic acid oxidation were 5-HPETE and 6-trans- and 12-epi-6-trans-leukotriene B4, the nonenzymatic hydrolysis products of leukotriene A4 (LTA4), indicating that the purified protein expressed both the 5-oxygenase and leukotriene A4 synthase activities (ratio 6:1). The microsomal fraction and the 60-90% ammonium sulfate precipitate fraction from sonicated human leukocytes did not increase product formation by the isolated enzyme when assayed in the presence of ATP, Ca2+, and phosphatidylcholine. These factors were found to stabilize 5-lipoxygenase during preincubation of the enzyme at 37 degrees C with the assay mixture but they failed to stimulate enzymatic activity when added at the end of the preincubation period. The results demonstrate that human 5-lipoxygenase can be isolated in a catalytically active form and that protein factors from leukocytes protect against enzyme inactivation but are not essential for enzyme activity.