The 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors ZD2138 and ZM230487 are potent and selective inhibitors of several antigen-induced guinea-pig pulmonary responses.

The non-redox 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor Zeneca ZD2138 (6-[(3-fluoro-5-[4-methoxy-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl])phenoxy- methyl]-1-methyl-2-quinolone) was evaluated for its ability to inhibit antigen-induced leukotriene release from guinea-pig lung in vitro and antigen-induced increases in pulmonary resistance in guinea pigs in vivo. ZD2138 inhibited antigen-induced release of leukotriene D4 and leukotriene B4 with IC50 values of 0.3 +/- 0.06 microM and 0.4 +/- 0.09 microM, respectively. At about ten times higher concentrations, ZD2138 had no effect on antigen-induced release of thromboxane B2, indicating selectivity for inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase vs. phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenase, or thromboxane synthetase. Similarly, ZD2138 did not inhibit histamine release, indicating that the compound did not have a generalized effect on the mediator release processes. Zeneca ZM230487-(6-[(3-fluoro-5-[4-methoxy- 3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl])phenoxymethyl]-1-ethyl-2-quinolone), the N-ethyl analog of ZD2138, was approximately equipotent toward inhibition of antigen-induced leukotriene D4 release, with an IC50 of 0.2 +/- 0.08 microM. The so-called 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) inhibitor, MK-886 (3-[1-(p-chlorobenzyl)-5-(isopropyl)-3-tert-butylthioindol-2-yl]-2 ,2- dimethylpropanoic acid), and the iron ligand 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor zileuton (N-(1-benzo[b]thien-2-ylethyl)-N-hydroxy-urea) were also active, but less potent than ZD2138 with IC50 values for inhibition of antigen-induced leukotriene release in vitro of 9.3 +/- 3.2 microM and 14.8 +/- 1.8 microM, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)