Arachidonic acid regulates the translocation of 5-lipoxygenase to the nuclear membranes in human neutrophils.

Elevation of the intracellular cAMP concentration in agonist-activated human neutrophils (PMN) leads to the concomitant inhibitions of arachidonic acid (AA) release, 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) translocation, and leukotriene (LT) biosynthesis. We report herein that exogenous AA completely prevents cAMP-dependent inhibition of 5-LO translocation and LT biosynthesis in agonist-activated PMN. Moreover, the group IVA phospholipase A2 inhibitor pyrrophenone and the MEK inhibitor U-0126 inhibited AA release and 5-LO translocation in activated PMN, and these effects were also prevented by exogenous AA, demonstrating a functional link between AA release and 5-LO translocation. Polyunsaturated fatty acids of the C18 and C20 series containing at least three double bonds located from carbon 9 (or closer to the carboxyl group) were equally effective as AA in restoring 5-LO translocation in pyrrophenone-treated agonist-activated PMN. Importantly, experiments with the 5-LO-activating protein inhibitor MK-0591 and the intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM demonstrated that the AA-regulated 5-LO translocation is FLAP- and Ca2+-dependent. Finally, the redox and competitive 5-LO inhibitors L-685,015, L-739,010, and L-702,539 (but not cyclooxygenase inhibitors) efficiently substituted for AA to reverse the pyrrophenone inhibition of 5-LO translocation, indicating that the site of regulation of 5-LO translocation by AA is at or in the vicinity of the catalytic site. This report demonstrates that AA regulates the translocation of 5-LO in human PMN and unravels a novel mechanism of the cAMP-mediated inhibition of LT biosynthesis.