LipidMediators and Human Leukemic Blasts

Some of themost potent inflammatory mediators share a lipid origin. They regulate a wide spectrumof cellular processes including cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, the precise roles and ways (if any) in which these compounds impact the growth and apoptosis of leukemic blasts remain incompletely resolved. In spite of this, significant advances have been recently made. Here we briefly review the current knowledge about the production of lipid mediators (prostaglandins, leukotrienes, plateletactivating factor) by leukemic blasts, the enzymatic activities (phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases) involved in their productions and their effects (through specific membrane bound receptors) on the growth, and apoptosis of leukemic blasts.