Hishinuma T, Suzuki N, Aiba S, Tagami H, Mizugaki M
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University Hospital, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
Br J Dermatol. 2001 Jan;144(1):19-23. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.2001.03947.x.
Synthesis of cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTs) is known to play a part in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.
To define the involvement of cysteinyl LTs in atopic dermatitis (AD).
Synthesis of cysteinyl LTs was assessed in patients with AD and healthy volunteers by measuring urinary LTE4, a useful index of systemic cysteinyl LT synthesis, using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.
Mean +/- SD urinary LTE4 levels in patients with AD (125 +/- 69 pg mg(-1) creatinine, n = 20) were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than in healthy volunteers (60 +/- 19 pg mg(-1) creatinine, n = 17). A significant correlation between urinary LTE4 and total serum IgE levels in patients with AD was observed (r = 0.643, P < 0.05).
Our findings demonstrate an enhanced synthesis of cysteinyl LTs in patients with AD and suggest that cysteinyl LTs are involved in the pathophysiology of AD.