Role of arachidonic acid metabolism in thymocyte apoptosis after irradiation

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 388; no. 2; pp. 238 - 241
• Main Authors: Korystov, Yuri N., Dobrovinskaya, Oksana R., Shaposhnikova, Vera V., Eidus, Lazar Kh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 17.06.1996
• Subjects: 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethane-sulfonic acid; 4-bromophenacylbromide; A23187; Animals; Apoptosis; arachidonic acid; Arachidonic Acid - metabolism; BPB; calcium ionophore; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors - pharmacology; dimethyl sulfoxide; DMSO; DNA Damage; EDTA; ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid; Gamma Rays; HEPES; Irradiation; Lipoxygenase - metabolism; Lipoxygenase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Male; Masoprocol - pharmacology; NDGA; nordihydroguaiaretic acid; phospholipase A2; PLA2; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thymocyte apoptosis; Thymus Gland - cytology; Thymus Gland - metabolism; Thymus Gland - radiation effects; AA; NDGA; BPB; DMSO; HEPES; Irradiation; Arachidonic acid metabolism; Thymocyte apoptosis; EDTA; A23187; PLA 2
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(96)00538-8

The present study demonstrates that DNA fragmentation, nuclear pycnosis and trypan blue staining of irradiated thymocytes is prevented by inhibition of the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism and is not affected by cyclooxygenase inhibition. Exposed to irradiation [ 3H]arachidonic acid-labeled thymocytes release radioactive products to the external medium. The process is blocked by the lipoxygenase inhibitor, nordihydroguaiaretic acid. Thus, it can be concluded that irradiation activates arachidonic acid metabolism and that lipoxygenase metabolites play an important role in thymocyte apoptosis.