5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO)

Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase is a member of the lipoxygenase family. It transforms EFAs into leukotrienes and is a current target for pharmaceutical intervention in a number of diseases.5-ALOX catalyzes oxidation of AA at the 5-position to yield 5-HPETE. 5-LO then converts 5-HPETE to leukotriene A4.5-ALOX is a target for pharmaceutical intervention in CAD.

Some people with variant alleles for 5-LO are at elevated risk for CAD. 5-ALOX is expressed in brain cells and may participate in neuropathologic processes.Mutations in the promoter region of this gene lead to a diminished response to antileukotriene drugs used in the treatment of asthma and may also be associated with atherosclerosis and several cancers. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been observed, but their full-length nature has not been determined.