Electrophysiological response of cerebellar Purkinje neurons to leukotriene D4 and B4.

The biological effects of leukotrienes B4 and D4, two recently characterized products of arachidonic acid metabolism, were studied on the guinea-pig ileum in vitro and on rat cerebellar Purkinje cells in vivo. Leukotriene D4 induced contraction of the ileum and a prolonged excitation of Purkinje cells. Both of these effects were antagonized by the "slow reacting substance" end-organ antagonist, FPL 55712. Leukotriene B4 had no central electrophysiological effects at the doses used and no effects on the guinea-pig ileum at doses below 0.2 microM. Taken together with previous studies, these data suggest that leukotrienes with slow reacting substance activity may modulate the excitability of central neurons as well as peripheral smooth muscle tone.