Prostaglandin And Lipid Metabolism In Radiation Injury

This volume contains the proceedings of the International Conference on Prostaglandins and Lipid Metabolism in Radiation Injury held in Rockville, Maryland, on October 2-3, 1986. Over 200 persons from eight countries attended the program, which consisted of 24 oral presentations and 38 poster presentations. Forty-two of those presentations have been included in this volume. The conference was sponsored by the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, located in Bethesda, Maryland. The effects of radiation on lipid synthesis and membrane damage are aptly summarized in the first five chapters. These chapters describe the effects of radiation on lipid peroxidation of model membranes, and the role of lipid composition in mammalian cell death and in bacterial radio- and thermosensitivity. In bacteria, lipid peroxidation is not essential for radiation-induced cell death. One of the key points of the conference was the paradoxical nature of the radiobiology of eicosanoids. On the one hand, eicosanoids are mediators of damage; on the other, they are radioprotective agents. It is clear from the literature and from the data presented at the conference that both of these properties may also be observed as a consequence of radiotherapy. Some studies indicate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may minimize or prevent certain radiation induced damage, but other studies show no positive effect.

Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Cancer is a multi-volume series that will focus on an emerging area of cancer research. In 1968, R.H. Williams first reported that elevated prostaglandin levels are present in human medullary car cinoma. Since that time, the concept that arachidonic acid metabolites may be in volved in cancer has expanded to include every aspect of the disease from cell transformation through metastasis. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are generic terms used to describe a family of bioactive lipids produced from unsaturated fatty acids (principally from arachidonic acid) via the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways, respec tively. Cyclooxygenase products consist of diverse products such as prosta glandin Ez (PGEz), prostacyclin (PGIz) and thromboxane Az (TXAz), whereas lipoxygenase products consist of hydroperoxy fatty acids and mono-, di- and tri-hydroxy acids including leukotrienes. The precursor fatty acids for the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways are present in cellular phospholipids. This finding established an important control point in their biosynthesis-the release of substrate. This occurs in response to numerous stimuli that act at the cell surface. Dr. Bengt Samuelsson's extensive study of the metabolism of pros taglandins indicated that they are rapidly inactivated on a single pass through pulmonary circulation. Thus, they cannot act as circulating hormones and appear to be made on demand in or in the vicinity of target tissues leading to the concept that prostaglandins are local hormones or autocoids.

This volume contains the proceedings of the First International Conference on Eicosanoids and Other Bioactive Lipids in Cancer and Radiation Injury held in Detroit, Michigan on October 11-14, 1989. The program consisted of 83 oral and 29 poster presentations, 74 of which are included in these proceedings. The major sponsors of the conference were the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, located in Bethesda, Maryland, the Radiation Oncology Research and Development Center of the Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center, Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and Schering AG of West Germany. Eighteen other organizations provided additional support. The conference was unique in its attempt to link the eicosanoid and lipid researchers in the radiobiology and cancer disciplines. The diverse roles that eicosanoids and other bioactive lipids play in these biological phenomena including the participation of lipid oxidation in conversion of procarcinogens, positive and negative modulation of tumor growth, immunomodulation, tissue injury, and yet protection and enhancement of cancer therapy, necessitated scientific interaction to sort out and understand these complex and sometimes contradictory observations. The success of this effort is reflected not only through these proceedings, but also through the decision to continue the conference series with a second meeting to be held in Berlin between September 17-21, 1991.

This book contains conference presentations regarding the regulation of eicosanoid enzymes and, in particular, cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and phospholipases. The new field of isoprostanes is also represented.

This volume represents a collection of contributions from the 6th International Conference on Eicosanoids and Other Bioactive Lipids in Cancer, Inflammation, and Related Diseases held in Boston from September 12-15, 1999. The mission of this meeting was to bring together senior and junior investigators to both announce and examine their recent advancements in cutting-edge research on the roles and actions of lipid mediators and their impact in human physiology and disease pathogenesis. The meeting focused on new concepts in these areas of interest to both clinicians and researchers. The program included several outstanding plenary lectures and presentations by leading experts in the fields of cancer and inflammation. In addition, the Boston meeting presented three Young Investigator awards, one in each of the major focus areas. The meeting was exciting and proved to be very memorable. The program was developed with an emphasis on recent advances in molecular and of lipid mediators relevant in cellular mechanisims involved in the formation and actions inflammation and cancer. Plenary lectures were presented by Prof. Bengt Sammuelsson (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm; 1982 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine) and Prof. E. 1. Corey (Harvard University; 1990 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry). Both of these plenary lectures were held on Day 1, which set an exciting tone for this meeting. Immediately following these plenary lectures, three simultaneous breakout sessions were held, one of inflammation, a second on cancer and synthesis of novel inhibitors, and a third on enzymes-lipoxygenases/cyclooxygenases and inhibitors.

In recent decades eicosanoids have been attracting an increasing amount of attention as a result of their important physiological roles in many areas of biology and medicine. The eicosanoids comprise the prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes and are products of arachidonic acid, an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid stored in tissue phospholipids. Disturbances of eicosanoids and their metabolic products play a regulatory role in many types of cell injuries and diseases. One of the most exciting areas of eicosanoid research pinpoints their participation in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation. Eicosanoids form a link between different fields of research into such areas as cancer, inflammation and radiation-induced injury. This link provided the impetus for the development of the conference series of which the present volume represents the proceedings of the Second International Conference, held in Berlin in October 1991.

Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference held in Hong Kong, October 4-7, 1995

Semiannual, with semiannual and annual indexes. References to all scientific and technical literature coming from DOE, its laboratories, energy centers, and contractors. Includes all works deriving from DOE, other related government-sponsored information, and foreign nonnuclear information. Arranged under 39 categories, e.g., Biomedical sciences, basic studies; Biomedical sciences, applied studies; Health and safety; and Fusion energy. Entry gives bibliographical information and abstract. Corporate, author, subject, report number indexes.

Lipoxygenases and Their Products provides a cogent summary of the advances in understanding lipoxygenases and their products, emphasizing their pharmacology and pathophysiology; regulation and structure; physiological role; and receptors and receptor antagonists. This text also reviews the literature where specific receptor antagonists (as opposed to enzymatic inhibitors) have been used to characterize the pharmacologic action and the pathophysiologic roles of some of lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism. This book is organized into 11 chapters and begins with an overview of the biochemical, pharmacological, and pathophysiological aspects of 5-lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism in the respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems. The discussion then shifts to human 5-lipoxygenase, emphasizing this enzyme purification, stimulatory factors, and membrane translocation. The reader is methodically introduced to 5-lipoxygenase activity in rats and pigs; the potential and therapeutic value of 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors; the distribution of 15-lipoxygenase in cells or tissues; and products formed through the 15-lipoxygenase pathway. This book also considers lipoxins and third-generation peptidoleukotriene receptor antagonists, and then concludes with a summary of the physiological and pathophysiological effects of leukotrienes and lipoxins in a variety of organs. This book is of interest to scientists interested in arachidonic acid and its metabolites, to scientists engaged in drug discovery-and-development activities in academia and the pharmaceutical industry, and to clinicians interested in diseases associated with leukotrienes and related products.