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leukotrienes

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
Leukotrienes
A class of small molecules produced by cells in response to allergen exposure; they contribute to allergy and asthma symptoms.

leukotrienes
[lo̅o̅′kətrī′ēnz]
a class of biologically active compounds that occur naturally in leukocytes and produce allergic and inflammatory reactions similar to those of histamine. They are thought to play a role in the development of allergic and autoallergic diseases such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis.

leukotrienes (lōō·kō·trī·ēnz),
n.pl regulators of inflammatory and allergic reactions. Biologically active leukotrienes are made up of 20-carbon carboxylic acids derived from arachidonic acid.


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Among the inflammatory mediators released from mast cells, cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) have been shown to cause airway inflammation and airway smooth muscle contraction during RSV infection, accounting for the wheezing observed in bronchiolitis.
This results from the inability of phagocyte oxidase to degrade inflammatory mediators such as leukotrienes, complement, and perhaps other components.
The antibodies signal mast cells and basophils to release inflammatory chemicals such as histamine, prostaglandins and leukotrienes, which, in turn, trigger allergy-related symptoms like runny nose, scratchy eyes and sneezing.
 
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