Cytochrome P450 and the metabolism and bioactivation of arachidonic acid and eicosanoids

4. Conclusion: The studies of the P450 AA monooxygenase have uncovered new and important roles for P450 in the metabolism of endogenous substrates, and added P450 to the list of enzymes that participate in the metabolism of AA, a fatty acid that serves as the precursor for the biosynthesis of several physiologically important lipid mediators. The functional relevance of this metabolic pathway is suggested by the many important biological activities attributed to its products. These studies, as well as the documented endogenous roles of P450s in cholesterol, steroid, and vitamin metabolism are contributing to establish this enzyme system as a major participant in the regulation of cell, organ, and body physiology. Among these, the phenotypic analysis of mice carrying disrupted copies of the CYP4a14 gene unveiled new and important roles for the P450 enzymes in cardiovascular physiology and the control of systemic blood pressures, and suggested the human homologs of the rodent CYP 2C and 4A AA epoxygenases and ω-hydroxylases as candidate genes for the study of their role in the pathophysiology of hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.