Identification of two monohydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids synthesized by human pulmonary macrophages

Human pulmonary macrophages synthesized and released 5- and 12-HETE. Addition of zymosan particles to macrophage monolayers led to increased formation of these hydroxylated derivatives of arachidonic acid. The ionophore, A23187, not only promoted the synthesis of 5- and 12-HETE, but also stimulated the synthesis of an unidentified arachidonic acid metabolite that did not share the chromatographic characteristics of the classic prostaglandins or monohydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids. These observations indicate that the human pulmonary macrophage is a potential source of lipoxygenase products and could influence those biologic functions mediated by arachidonate metabolites in the human lung.