The 6R-oxygenase activity of arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase purified from porcine leukocytes

Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase purified from porcine leukocytes was incubated with (5S)-hydroperoxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid. In addition to degradation products of leukotriene A4 (6-trans-leukotriene B4 and its 12-epimer and others), (5S,6R)-dihydroperoxy-7,9,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid was produced as a major product especially when the incubation was performed on ice rather than at room temperature. The amount of the (5S,6R)-dihydroperoxy acid was close to the total amount of leukotriene A4 degradation products. Under the anaerobic condition, production of the (5S,6R)-dihydroperoxy acid was markedly reduced. 5-Hydroxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid could be a substrate of the enzyme and was transformed predominantly to a compound identified as (5S)-hydroxy-(6R)-hydroperoxy-7,9-trans-11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoic acid at about 1-2% rate of arachidonate 5-oxygenation. These findings indicated that the purified 5-lipoxygenase exhibited a 6R-oxygenase activity with (5S)-hydroxy and (5S)-hydroperoxy acids as substrates. The 6R-oxygenase activity, like the leukotriene A synthase activity, was presumed to be an integral part of 5-lipoxygenase because it required calcium and ATP and was affected by selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors.