Release of leukotriene C4 from guinea pig trachea.

Immunological (ovalbumin) and non-immunological (calcium ionophore A23187) stimulation of guinea pig trachea induces a prolonged contraction that is enhanced by indomethacin (8.5 microM) and inhibited by nordihydroguaiaretic acid (50 microM) pretreatment of the tissue. The mediator released by the above stimuli was identified as leukotriene C4 by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, and quantitated by bioassay. Indomethacin, and/or arachidonic acid (32.8 microM) did not enhance the release, whereas nordihydroguaiaretic acid reduced the contraction and release of LTC4. The results demonstrate the hitherto unproved capability of the large airways to synthesize leukotrienes and emphasize the importance of examining their role in asthma.