Production of arachidonic acid metabolites by caprine alveolar macrophages.

The in vitro release of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites from caprine alveolar macrophages (CAM) stimulated with the calcium ionophore A23187 or opsonized zymosan was examined. Leukotriene B4 [5(S),12(R)-6,14-cis-8,10-trans-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid] was the major AA metabolite elicited with either agonist; smaller amounts of 12- and 5-mono-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE), and 12-hydroxyheptadecatrienoic acid (HHT) were also detected. Zymosan stimulation also caused the release of very small quantities of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha, and thromboxane B2. Our report is the first to describe arachidonic acid metabolism in CAM.