The Editor takes a closer look at some of this month's articles

Abstract

The Editor takes a closer look at some of this month's articles Aspirin induced asthma: lipoxins versus leukotrienes. Aspirin intolerant asthma continues to be a fascinating, but poorly understood sub-phenotype of asthma. It is well established that there is an excess of sulphidopeptide leukotrienes in this condition with in particular increased amounts of urinary leukotriene E 4 (LTE 4 ). However the potential involvement of an anti-inflammatory class of eicosanoids, the lipoxins, has not been examined in any detail. Lipoxins are eicosanoids (mediators derived from arachidonic acid), that include lipoxin A 4 (LXA 4 ), B 4 (LXB 4 ) and the epi-lipoxins formed by non-enzymatic peroxidation of lipoxin. Lipoxins inhibit leucocyte function and are thought to play a role in the resolution of inflammation [1]. In this issue Yamaguchi and colleagues (pp. 1711-1718) have investigated the urinary concentrations of lipoxin A 4 , 15 epi-LXA 4 and LTE 4 in patients with aspirin intolerant (AIA) and tolerant asthma (ATA) as well as normal controls. Consistent with other studies they found LTE 4 concentrations to be higher in the AIA subjects. Overall in asthma they found urinary concentrations of 15 epi-LXA 4 to be higher than LXA 4. They found reduced amounts of 15 epi-LXA 4 in AIA, which was not related to disease severity, suggesting that AIA is associated with an imbalance between pro and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids. This paper adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that lipoxins may have a role as therapeutic agents in asthma and related diseases.