Behavioral and physiological effects of leukotriene C4

Leukotriene C4 (LTC4), a lipoxygenase metabolite of arachidonic acid, is a biological mediator of vasoregulation, pulmonary activity, shock, and inflammation, that has been demonstrated to have radioprotective efficacy. The effects of LTC4 on locomotor activity, rectal temperature and hematocrit were examined. Subcutaneous administration of doses of 1.0 micrograms LTC4/mouse or less did not affect locomotor activity. Doses of 5 or 10 micrograms LTC4/mouse, however, resulted in almost complete cessation of locomotion within 12-14 min following treatment. At these doses, activity was suppressed for 2 h with complete recovery by 3 h postinjection. While a dose as high as 10 micrograms LTC4 did not affect rectal temperature, 5 and 10 micrograms LTC4 resulted in hematocrit increases of 10% and 40% respectively. Hematocrit returned to baseline within 1 h after a 5 micrograms pretreatment of LTC4, and by 3 h following a 10 micrograms pretreatment. The duration of LTC4-induced locomotor suppression did not correlate with previously determined durations of LTC4-induced radioprotection.