Preferred Label : Eicosanoid Metabolism Pathway;
NCIt related terms : Eicosanoid Metabolism;
Alternative definition : BIOCARTA: The eicosanoids are a family of lipophilic hormones derived from the twenty
carbon fatty acid arachidonic acid. Although they are diverse in structure, many eicosanoids
have roles in inflammation, including regulation of vasodilation, vascular permeability,
pain, and recruitment of leukocytes. Most members of this family are rapidly metabolized
near their site of synthesis, so they act locally on neighboring cells, not distant
parts of the body. They are also not stored in cells, but synthesized rapidly in response
to stimuli, making regulation of their synthesis a key to their activity. Many drugs
act through modulating the production of eicosanoids or modulating their signaling
pathways. Hormones in the eicosanoid family include the prostaglandins, thromboxanes,
leukotrienes, and prostacyclins. The first step in the production of eicosanoids is
the release of arachidonic acid from either diacylglycerol or phospholipids by membrane
bound phospholipases in response to extracellular stimulus. Arachidonic acid has several
possible fates, including oxygenation by lipoxygenases to make HPETEs (hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic
acids), or production of prostaglandin H2 by PGH2 synthase. 5-lipoxygenase acts with
the membrane bound protein FLAP (five lipoxygenase activating protein) to produce
the epoxide leukotriene LTA4 which is hydrolyzed to produce LTB4 or has glutathione
added by a glutathione S-transferase to produce LTC4 and LTD4. A G-protein coupled
receptor for LTD4, CysLT1, mediates an important component of the inflammatory response
of leukotrienes on airway constriction and recruitment of leukocytes, and several
marketed asthma drugs act as antagonists of the CysLT1 receptor. PGH2 synthase actually
consists of two enzyme components, a cyclooxygenase and a peroxidase, and there are
more than one type of cyclooxygenase, including Cox-1 and Cox-2. Recent NSAIDS acting
selectively as Cox-2 inhibitors like Vioxx are widely used for the treatment of arthritis
and other inflammatory conditions, inhibiting the production of downstream thromboxanes
and prostaglandins. PGH2 also has several possible fates, including conversion by
thromboxane synthase to Tpx2, an eicosanoid with potent coagulation and vasoconstriction
activity. PGI2, or prostacyclin, synthesized by prostacyclin synthase, has properties
opposite those of thromboxane, causing vasodilation and a reduction in clotting through
the IP receptor, causing thromboxanes and PGI2 to act in opposition to each other.
Thromboxane antagonists and prostacyclin agonists both provide tools and drugs to
reduce vasoconstriction. The prostaglandins include PGD2, PGE2 and PGF2, with varying
degrees of selectivity among their receptors, DP, EP and FP, respectively. PGE2 exerts
biological effects including induction of pain, fever and vasodilation through at
least four receptors, EP1, EP2, EP3 and EP4, and EP3 is found in multiple splice variants.
The diversity of the eicosanoids and their receptors and their involvement in many
disease states makes it likely that this pathway will continue as a major research
focus. (This definition may be outdated - see the DesignNote.);
NCIt note : The BIOCARTA Definition (ALT_DEFINITION) for this pathway concept was provided by
BioCarta. This property was not created by, nor is it maintained by the NCI Thesaurus
staff. Additionally, BioCarta is no longer updating its pathway data; thus, the BIOCARTA
Definition might be outdated or inaccurate. Please see the Terms and Conditions for
Use at http://www.biocarta.com/.;
Biocarta ID : h_eicosanoidPathway;
Origin ID : C39060;
UMLS CUI : C1522543;
Automatic exact mappings (from CISMeF team)
Semantic type(s)
has_gene_product_element
pathway_has_gene_element