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World J Gastroenterol. Jan 28, 2014; 20(4): 968-977
Published online Jan 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i4.968
Cysteinyl leukotrienes and their receptors: Bridging inflammation and colorectal cancer
Sayeh Savari, Katyayni Vinnakota, Yuan Zhang, Anita Sjölander
Sayeh Savari, Katyayni Vinnakota, Yuan Zhang, Anita Sjölander, Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden
Author contributions: Savari S and Vinnakota K contributed equally to this work; all authors discussed, read and approved the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Anita Sjölander, Professor, Division of Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden. anita.sjolander@med.lu.se
Telephone: +46-40-391168 Fax: +46-40-391177
Received: October 6, 2013
Revised: November 16, 2013
Accepted: December 5, 2013
Published online: January 28, 2014
Processing time: 112 Days and 16.7 Hours
Abstract

Long-standing inflammation has emerged as a hallmark of neoplastic transformation of epithelial cells and may be a limiting factor of successful conventional tumor therapies. A complex milieu composed of distinct stromal and immune cells, soluble factors and inflammatory mediators plays a crucial role in supporting and promoting various types of cancers. An augmented inflammatory response can predispose a patient to colorectal cancer (CRC). Common risk factors associated with CRC development include diet and lifestyle, altered intestinal microbiota and commensals, and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Cysteinyl leukotrienes are potent inflammatory metabolites synthesized from arachidonic acid and have a broad range of functions involved in the etiology of various pathologies. This review discusses the important role of cysteinyl leukotriene signaling in linking inflammation and CRC.

Keywords: Eicosanoids; Cysteinyl leukotrienes; CysLT1R; CysLT2R; Inflammation; Colorectal cancer

Core tip: Despite several advances in diagnostic and therapeutic options, colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be a major health problem and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. The inflammatory milieu has been widely recognized as one of the enabling characteristics of cancer development. Cysteinyl leukotrienes are pro-inflammatory eicosanoids implicated in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and CRC development. Hence, targeting cysteinyl leukotrienes and their receptors could provide alternative therapeutic approaches or be used in combination with existing therapies for more efficient treatment of CRC.