PubMed ID: 2846724
Author(s): Kulkarni PS, Kaufman PL, Srinivasan BD. Eicosapentaenoic acid metabolism in cynomolgus and rhesus conjunctiva and eyelid. J Ocul Pharmacol. 1987 Winter;3(4):349-56. PMID 2846724
Journal: Journal Of Ocular Pharmacology, Volume 3, Issue 4, 1987
We have demonstrated that cynomolgus and rhesus monkey ocular tissues such as conjunctiva and eyelids have the capacity to synthesize cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase products from arachidonic acid (AA). In the present study, we demonstrate that another fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5), which is found mainly in marine diets, can be converted by cynomolgus and rhesus monkey conjunctiva and eyelids into cyclo-oxygenase (3-series) and lipoxygenase (5-series) products. EPA-lipoxygenase activity (ranging from 6.5% to 10.4%) was greater than EPA-cyclo-oxygenase activity (ranging from 1.5% to 3.5%) in these tissues. Furthermore, BW755, a cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitor, inhibited the synthesis of EPA-derived cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase product synthesis, indicating the enzymatic nature of EPA metabolism.