Enzymatic conversion of leukotriene B4 to 6-trans-leukotriene B4 by rat kidney homogenates.

A novel isomerase reaction leading to conversion of leukotriene B4 to its 6-trans isomer was detected in rat kidney homogenates. The structure of the metabolite was determined by high performance liquid chromatography, ultraviolet spectrometry and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A recent report has shown that 6-trans-leukotriene B4 is transformed to a dihydro metabolite (6,7- or 10,11-dihydro 6-trans-leukotriene B4) and further omega-hydroxylated [Powell, W.S. (1986) Biochem, Biophys. Res. Commun. 136, 707-712]. The leukotriene B4 6-isomerase reaction reported here may therefore provide the first step in a novel pathway of biological degradation of leukotriene B4.