leukotriene

American  

[loo-kuh-trahy-een] / ˌlu kəˈtraɪ in /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a lipid, C 20 H 30 O 3 , produced by white blood cells in an immune response to antigens, that contributes to allergic asthma and inflammatory reactions.

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leukotriene British  

/ ˌluːkəʊˈtraɪiːn /

noun

1. one of a class of products of metabolic conversion of arachidonic acid; the active constituents of slow-reacting substance, responsible for bronchial constriction, contraction of smooth muscle, and inflammatory processes

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Etymology

Origin of leukotriene

First recorded in 1975–80; leuko- + triene

Example Sentences

It's based on a gene known as LTA4H, first seen in mice, which governs the production of an enzyme called leukotriene A4 hydrolase.

From Time Magazine Archive