Figure 2.

Lipid mediators enzymatically derived from n–3 and n–6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and their role in inflammation. Acute inflammation response consists of three stages: initiation, development and resolution. In case of acute inflammation can lead to chronic inflammation. Polyunsaturated fatty acids released from phospholipids by cytosolic phospholipase A₂ (cPLA₂) and secreted phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) are converted by lipoxygenases (LOX), cyclooxygenases (COX) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes into bioactive oxylipins that act on inflammation. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) can prevent the development of chronic inflammation. AA-derived oxylipins, such as prostaglandins, leukotrienes and thromboxanes, have pro-inflammatory proprieties. DGLA, AdA and EPA are precursors for less pro-inflammatory oxylipins. Major SPMs are synthesized from n–3 PUFAs. The blue marking indicates pro-resolving oxylipins. The red marking denotes pro-inflammatory lipid mediators. References: [67,72,73,79,80,81,82].