Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids (HETEs)

Arachidonic acid is known to be oxidized by several enzymatic pathways including prostaglandin H2 synthase, 5-lipoxygenase, and cytochrome P-450 dependent epoxygenase reactions. These enzymatic pathways require free arachidonic acid as substrate and result in a host of biologically active lipid mediators including prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, and epoxyeicosatetraenoic acids. The major arachidonic acid metabolites in blood and blood vessels are Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs). HETEs have been implicated in physiologic responses such as aggregation, cell migration, and cell proliferation. GC/selected ion monitoring after high-performance liquid chromatography separation usually used as sensitive and specific assay for HETEs.