Produced by neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells, and by transcellular metabolism in platelets, leukotriene C4 (LTC4) is the parent cysteinyl leukotriene formed by the LTC4 synthase-catalyzed conjugation of glutathione to LTA4. It is one of the constituents of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) and exhibits potent smooth muscle contracting activity. LTC4, however, is rapidly metabolized to LTD4 and LTE4, which makes the characterization of LTC4 pharmacology difficult. N-methyl Leukotriene C4 (N-methyl LTC4) is a synthetic analog of LTC4 that is not readily metabolized to LTD4 and LTE4.It acts as a potent and selective CysLT2 receptor agonist exhibiting EC50 values of 122 and > 2,000 nM at the human CysLT2 and CysLT1 receptors, respectively. It has essentially the same potency as LTC4 at both the human and murine receptors CysLT2 receptors. N-methyl LTC4 is potent and active in vivo, causing vascular leak in mice overexpressing the human CysLT2 receptor but not in CysLT2 receptor knockout mice.
