Involvement of LTB4 in zymosan-induced joint nociception in mice: participation of neutrophils and PGE2

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) mediates different inflammatory events such as neutrophil migration and pain. The present study addressed the mechanisms of LTB4‐mediated joint inflammation‐induced hypernociception. It was observed that zymosan‐induced articular hypernociception and neutrophil migration were reduced dose‐dependently by the pretreatment with MK886 (1–9 mg/kg; LT synthesis inhibitor) as well as in 5‐lypoxygenase‐deficient mice (5LO−/−) or by the selective antagonist of the LTB4 receptor (CP105696; 3 mg/kg). Histological analysis showed reduced zymosan‐induced articular inflammatory damage in 5LO−/− mice. The hypernociceptive role of LTB4 was confirmed further by the demonstration that joint injection of LTB4 induces a dose (8.3, 25, and 75 ng)‐dependent articular hypernociception. Furthermore, zymosan induced an increase in joint LTB4 production. Investigating the mechanism underlying LTB4 mediation of zymosan‐induced hypernociception, LTB4‐induced hypernociception was reduced by indomethacin (5 mg/kg), MK886 (3 mg/kg), celecoxib (10 mg/kg), antineutrophil antibody (100 μg, two doses), and fucoidan (20 mg/kg) treatments as well as in 5LO−/− mice. The production of LTB4 induced by zymosan in the joint was reduced by the pretreatment with fucoidan or antineutrophil antibody as well as the production of PGE2 induced by LTB4. Therefore, besides reinforcing the role of endogenous LTB4 as an important mediator of inflamed joint hypernociception, these results also suggested that the mechanism of LTB4‐induced articular hypernociception depends on prostanoid and neutrophil recruitment. Furthermore, the results also demonstrated clearly that LTB4‐induced hypernociception depends on the additional release of endogenous LTs. Concluding, targeting LTB4 synthesis/action might constitute useful therapeutic approaches to inhibit articular inflammatory hypernociception.