The inhibition of 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) products leukotriene B4 (LTB 4 ) and cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) modulates the inflammatory response and improves cutaneous wound healing.

To analyze the participation of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) in skin repair, WT wounds were compared to those in 5-LO deficient mice (5-LO ^-/- ), which presented faster closure and reduced inflammatory infiltrate in the skin, together with increased CD4 regulatory T cells markers in the draining lymph nodes. The 5-LO ^-/- wounds also had diminished TNF-α, CCL11, CCL7, CCL2, CXCL9, CCR1 and CXCR2 mRNA expression in the lesions, besides differential extracellular matrix remodeling. Furthermore, when cysteinyl leukotriene (cysLT) and leukotriene (LTB ₄ ) receptors were antagonized in WT mice, there was a remarkable reduction in TNF-α expression and faster skin healing, similarly to the findings in 5-LO ^-/- animals. Finally, our results suggested that 5-LO products, in special cysLT and LTB ₄ , underline skin inflammation that follows skin injury and their neutralization may be an important strategy to improve cutaneous healing.
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