Leukotriene C elicits a prolonged excitation of cerebellar Purkinje neurons.

Leukotriene C-1 (LTC-1), a recently characterized potent agonist in bioassays for the slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A), was tested for electrophysiological effects on central neurons. LTC-1 consistently elicited a unique prolonged excitatory action on cerebellar Purkinje (P) cells when administered locally by pressure ejection from a multibarreled micropipette. This excitation could be reversed by subsequent pressure ejection of FPL 55712 (FPL), a SRS-A end-organ antagonist. Prior application of FPL prevented the LTC-1-induced responses altogether. Heat-inactivated LTC-1 had no effect on P cell discharge. These data suggest that LTC-1, as has been recently found with many other peripherally acting neurohormones, may also function to regulate excitability of central neurons.