Can dietary selenium reduce leukotriene production?

Abstract

The leukotrienes, prominent mediators of immediate hypersensitivity and inflammation, are derived from the major product of leukocyte lipoxygenase activity, 5-HPETE. An alternative pathway for 5-HPETE metabolism is reduction to 5-HETE. I hypothesize that, in analogy to its established role in platelet lipoxygenase metabolism, the selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase mediates this reduction. If so, supplementary selenium may decrease leukotriene production, and thus have value as a nutritional adjuvant in the management of asthma and various other inflammatory disorders.

• Authors: M McCarty
• Journal: Medical hypotheses (Med Hypotheses) Vol. 13 Issue 1 Pg. 45-50 (Jan 1984) ISSN: 0306-9877 [Print] United States
• PMID: 6323934 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Arachidonic Acids
• Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids
• Leukotrienes
• Lipid Peroxides
• SRS-A
• Leukotriene B4
• 5-hydroxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid
• 15-hydroperoxy-5,8,11,13-eicosatetraenoic acid
• Glutathione Peroxidase
• Lipoxygenase
• Selenium

Topics

• Animals
• Arachidonic Acids (biosynthesis, metabolism)
• Blood Platelets (enzymology)
• Glutathione Peroxidase (metabolism)
• Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids
• Leukocytes (enzymology)
• Leukotriene B4 (biosynthesis)
• Leukotrienes
• Lipid Peroxides (metabolism)
• Lipoxygenase (metabolism)
• Oxidation-Reduction
• Rats
• SRS-A (biosynthesis)
• Selenium (pharmacology)