Action of bradykinin at the cyclooxygenase step in prostanoid synthesis through the arachidonic acid cascade.

Bradykinin enhances prostanoid synthesis in aorta smooth muscle cells. Free arachidonic acid also enhances prostanoid synthesis and bradykinin, unlike fatty acid releasing agents, has a synergistic effect with free arachidonic acid. Bradykinin promotes metabolite release from cells prelabeled with [14C]-arachidonic acid and this effect is blocked completely by indomethacin. High performance liquid chromatography shows increase amounts of labeled 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, prostaglandin E2 and three additional cyclooxygenase-dependent metabolites but no increase in free arachidonic acid or other metabolites either in the absence or presence of indomethacin. Fatty acid releasing agents such as A23187 and cyclosporine A have very different effects on cells. These agents enhance levels of prostanoids, a number of other cyclooxygenase-independent metabolites, and free arachidonic acid which is even more elevated with added indomethacin. Bradykinin behaves in all respects like another agent, bacterial lipopolysaccharide, and the action of both agents is consistent with a mechanism involving cyclooxygenase rather than fatty release in the arachidonic acid cascade.