Arachidonic acid metabolism in normal and hypereosinophilic syndrome human eosinophils: generation of leukotrienes B4, C4, D4 and 15-lipoxygenase products.

The formation of 5- and 15-lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism was examined in human peripheral blood eosinophils obtained from five normal individuals and five patients with the hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). Normal and HES eosinophils after stimulation with the calcium ionophore A23187 produced in comparable amounts leukotriene (LT)C4, LTD4, LTB4 and two of its isomers (5-(S),12-(R)-6-trans-LTB4 and 5-(S), 12-(S)-6-trans-LTB4), 15-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (HETE), 5,15-di-HETE and 8,15-di-HETE. No single lipoxygenase product predominated in the absence of added arachidonic acid whereas 15-HETE was the major product formed when either normal or HES eosinophils were stimulated with A23187 in the presence of added arachidonic acid (10(-4) M).