Abstract

Introduction
Human body has inherent immune system which is responsible for the immune action when a
foreign body enters into the human body. Our body detects the type of foreign body which has
entered into the body, produces the specific type of antibodies against the pathogens and sends
the white blood cells to the systemic site. Due to the action of the antibodies on pathogens there
occurs an inflammation at systemic site and the
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease in which a persons respiratory track gets narrowed and
making it difficult to breathe. There is currently no cure for this disease. Asthma is caused
because of many factors such as allergens, irritants, respiratory infections, exercise, weather and
smoking. There are many potential causes for asthma but of all types, asthma caused by
leukotrienes is persistent in most asthmatic patients. When a patient is affected by asthma, the
bronchioles get constricted.
Leukotrienes (LTs) are the potential inflammatory mediators which are the major cause for
bronchoconstriction, increased sputum formation and edema formation, which are the symptoms
of asthma. Cysteinyl leukotrienes are a specific subtype of leukotrienes which are responsible for
the asthma in asthmatic patients. Leukotrienes (LTs), including cysteinyl-LTs (LTC4, LTD4, and
LTE4) and LTB4, are derived from arachidonic acid through the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO)
pathway. There are specific pathways of leukotriene synthesis which get activated once a
stimulus is detected by human body during inflammation of airway track.

Leukotrienes

Definition : The term leukotriene comes from the Greek word "leuko" for white blood cells and
the suffix "triene" which refers to a chemical structure of three double bonds separated by single
bonds, for instance, C=C-C=C-C=C. Leukotrienes are chemical compounds found in your blood
and are derived from the breakdown of arachidonic acid, an essential fatty acid.

Discovery
Leukotrienes were first discovered in 1938 in lung perfusates (1.from leukotrienes journal).
Earlier leukotrienes were known as smooth muscle constricting factors. In 1938-1940 Feldberg,
Kellaway, & Trethewie demonstrated that perfusates from dog lungs treated with cobra venom
(2) and from sensitized guinea pig lungs challenged with antigen (3) induced characteristic
contractions of guinea pig jejunum with a slow onset of the response. Because these substances
are also synthesized by human lungs, SRS-A got much attention and few studies were conducted
to reveal the structure. Until the structures werent discovered till 1979, leukotrienes were known
as Slow Reacting Substances (SRS) or Slow Reacting Substances Anaphylaxis (SRS-A) and
it was found that these compounds are Polar Lipid derived from arachidonic acid and may also
contain sulphur as well. Later when the structure was revealed in 1979, several studies were
conducted to confirm the structure and pathways which was quite essential to unravel the
mechanism of action of leukotrienes, this lead to the discovery of the pathways and appropriate
treatments in diseases which were caused by leukotrienes. Phospholipids which are present in
cell membranes are converted into arachidonic acid upon action of enzyme phospholipase.
Arachidonic acid by the action of specific set of enzymes leads to the differentiation of
leukotrienes into their different classes respectively. Unlike other compounds discovered

leukotrienes gained much attention because of its characteristic function of regulation in allergies
and hypersensitivity responses in many diseases.

Structure (what is leukotrienes paper)

.

Leukotrienes are naturally occurring chemical substances which promote immune responses in
human body. These are a family of eicosanoid inflammatory mediators produced in leukocytes
by the oxidation of arachidonic acid by the enzyme arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase. As their name
implies, leukotrienes were first discovered in leukocytes and later they were discovered from
other immune cells such as eosinophils, mast cells, macrophages. They are produced by the
immune system when an immunological or non-immunological stimuli acts on human body

Leukotriene biosynthesis
Structure

Physiological functions
What is asthma
Asthma

Role of leukotrienes in aasthma

Immunological aspects

Genetical aspects

Role of leukotrienes as therapeutics.kah khaa

Future directions

New dicsoveries and alla

Full conclusion

References
http://www.ehow.com/about_5538336_definition-leukotrienes.html