Contrasting in vitro lymphocyte chemotactic activity of the hydroxyl enantiomers of 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid

1. The chemotactic activity of 12(R)-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12(R)-HETE), 12(S)-HETE and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) for human mixed peripheral blood lymphocytes has been assessed in a 48-well microchemotaxis assay. Responses to the standard lymphocyte chemoattractants, zymosan-activated plasma, casein and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) were also measured. 2. 12(R)-HETE was shown to be chemotactic for lymphocytes over the range 5 x 10(-7) to 5 x 10(-5) M. In contrast, negligible chemotactic responses to 12(S)-HETE were obtained. 3. LTB4 was 200 times more potent than 12(R)-HETE as a lymphocyte chemoattractant, although maximal responses to the two agonists were similar. 4. 12(R)-HETE and LTB4, which are present in extracts of samples from the skin lesions of psoriasis, may be, at least in part, responsible for the lymphocyte infiltrate which is a characteristic feature of this disease.