5-Lipoxygenase

5-LOX is a non-heme iron dioxygenase that catalyzes the synthesis of a broad class of compounds, known as leukotrienes (LT), lipoxins, resolvins and protectins. n human beings, this enzyme is encoded by the Alox5 gene (Chromosome 10, Location 10q11.2). Its substrates belong to the poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) family, mainly the ω-3 and ω-6, where 5-LOX inserts O2 in a regional-specific fashion. From the ω-6 arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6), the pro-inflammatory LTB4, LTC4, LTD4, LTE4 and lipoxins are formed; the anti-inflammatory LTB5, LTC5, LTD5, LTE5 and E-series resolvins derive from the ω-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3); from the ω-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), protectins and D-series resolvins are synthesized. Notwithstanding, the inflammatory or anti-inflammatory nature of these compounds is currently under revision, due to emerging contradictory role of 5-LOX products in both induction and resolution of inflammation.