Behavioral and physiological effects of leukotriene C 4

Abstract

Leukotriene C 4 (LTC 4), a lipoxygenase metabolite of arachidonic acid, is a biological mediator of vasoregulation, pulmonary activity, shock, and inflammation, that has been demonstrated to have radioprotective efficacy. The effects of LTC 4 on locomotor activity, rectal temperature and hematocrit were examined. Subcutaneous administration of doses of 1.0 μg LTC 4/mouse or less did not affect locomotor activity. Doses of 5 or 10 μg LTC 4/mouse, however, resulted in almost complete cessation of locomotion within 12–14 min following treatment. At these doses, activity was suppressed for 2 h with complete recovery by 3 h postinjection. While a dose as high as 10 μg LTC 4 did not affect rectal temperature, 5 and 10 μg LTC 4 resulted in hematocrit increases of 10% and 40% respectively. Hematocrit returned to baseline within 1 h after a 5 μg pretreatment of LTC 4, and by 3 h following a 10 μg pretreatment. The duration of LTC 4-induced locomotor suppression did not correlate with previously determined durations of LTC 4-induced radioprotection.