Differences between basal lung levels of select eicosanoids in rat and mouse

Metabolites of arachidonic acid play an important role in mediating inflammation, cell proliferation, and oxidative stress that contribute to many pulmonary diseases. We hypothesized that the substantial differences between rats and mice in their responses to experimental pulmonary hypertensive stimuli would be associated with parallel differences in their basal eicosanoid profile. Rat and mouse lung extracts were subjected to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry that was optimized for simultaneous separation and rapid quantification of the major hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) and prostaglandins (PGs). Basal levels (pg/μg protein) of arachidonic acid metabolites differed significantly between rat and mouse lungs. Median values of the following major eicosanoids were significantly higher in mouse than in rat lungs: 5-HETE, 8-HETE, 12-HETE, 15-HETE, PGE(2), and PGI(2), as well as isoprostane-E(2) and -F(2α). In addition, the PGI(2)/TXB(2) ratio was increased in mouse relative to rat lungs. On the basis of the important roles that these compounds play in determining pulmonary vascular tone, the differences in select eicosanoid profiles, especially the PGI(2)/TXB(2) ratio, between rat and mouse lungs may underlie the interspecies differences in susceptibility to the development of pulmonary hypertension.