Enhancement of 5-lipoxygenase activity in mastocytoma P-815 cells by n-butyrate treatment.

Cloned mastocytoma P-815, 2-E-6 cells were used to investigate regulation of 5-lipoxygenase activity. 2-E-6 cells had high 5-lipoxygenase activity with slight 12-lipoxygenase activity. The 5-lipoxygenase activity was increased over 5-fold by treatment of the cells with 1 mM n-butyrate for 18 h. the most effective dose range being 0.1-5.0 mM. Treatment with n-butyrate for 18 h was more effective than treatment for 40 h. Addition of n-butyrate to an untreated cell homogenate had no stimulatory effect. The enhancement of 5-lipoxygenase activity by n-butyrate was accompanied by new synthesis of protein(s). 12-Lipoxygenase activity was not increased so much as 5-lipoxygenase activity by the treatment. This is the first report of stimulation of 5-lipoxygenase activity in cultured cells. The different responses of the two lipoxygenases to n-butyrate treatment strongly suggest that 5-lipoxygenase is a different enzyme from 12-lipoxygenase.