Design and synthesis of 1-(4-benzoylphenyl)imidazole derivatives as new potent 20-HETE synthase inhibitors

Clinical Implications of 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid in the Kidney, Liver, Lung and Brain: An Emerging Therapeutic Target

Cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA) is an important pathway for the formation of eicosanoids. The ω-hydroxylation of AA generates significant levels of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in various tissues. In the current review, we discussed the role of 20-HETE in the kidney, liver, lung, and brain during physiological and pathophysiological states. Moreover, we discussed the role of 20-HETE in tumor formation, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. In the kidney, 20-HETE is involved in modulation of preglomerular vascular tone and tubular ion transport. Furthermore, 20-HETE is involved in renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and polycystic kidney diseases. The role of 20-HETE in the liver is not clearly understood although it represents 50%-75% of liver CYP-dependent AA metabolism, and it is associated with liver cirrhotic ascites. In the respiratory system, 20-HETE plays a role in pulmonary cell survival, pulmonary vascular tone and tone of the airways. As for the brain, 20-HETE is involved in cerebral I/R injury. Moreover, 20-HETE has angiogenic and mitogenic properties and thus helps in tumor promotion. Several inhibitors and inducers of the synthesis of 20-HETE as well as 20-HETE analogues and antagonists are recently available and could be promising therapeutic options for the treatment of many disease states in the future.

Role of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in vascular system

Cytochrome P450s (P450) metabolize arachidonic acid (AA) to hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). Among these eicosanoids, 20-HETE is formed in a tissue and cell-specific fashion and plays an important role in the regulation of vascular tone in the brain, kidney, heart and splanchnic beds. 20-HETE is a potent vasoconstrictor produced in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. It depolarizes VSM by blocking the open-state probability of Ca2+-activated K+-channels. Inhibitors of the formation of 20-HETE block the myogenic response of renal and cerebral arterioles in vitro and autoregulation of renal and cerebral blood flow in vivo. The formation of 20-HETE in vascular smooth muscle is stimulated by angiotensin II, endothelin and norepinephrine and is inhibited by nitric oxide (NO). 20-HETE also stimulates mitogenic and angiogenic responses in vitro and in vivo. Changes in the production of 20-HETE have been observed in ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, kidney diseases, hypertension, diabetes, uremia, toxemia of pregnancy. The physiological and pathophysiological role of 20-HETE in the regulation of vascular tone are being revealed by the use of newly developed inhibitors of the synthesis of 20-HETE and 20-HETE analogs. The present review summarizes recent findings implicating a critical role for 20-HETE in altering cardiovascular function in a variety of pathological conditions.