Eicosanoids, Inflammation & Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

Eicosanoids constitute a large and expanding family of bioactive lipids synthesized from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to either pro-inflammatory omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA) or anti-inflammatory omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In these last cases, two essential fatty acids (FAs) ( -6 linoleic acid (C18:2n6) and -3 linolenic acid (LA) (C18:3n3) are utilized as substrates and a series of desaturase and elongase enzymes are essential for their production. Among these different members, the AA-derived eicosanoids operate as potent signaling mediators that provide an efficient way for cells to respond to various stimuli. As a result, they act as part of a complex regulatory network and control a number of important physiological processes. Some of these processes include: smooth muscle tone; vascular permeability; platelet aggregation; broncho-constriction/dilation; intestine motility.