Omega-3 fatty acid metabolism and regulation of inflammation

Abstract

Increasing evidence from both human and animal studies has demonstrated that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), primarily eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), can suppress inflammation and play a beneficial role in a variety of inflammation-related human diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Omega-3 PUFAs serve as substrates for the production of potent bioactive anti-inflammatory lipid mediators such as resolvins. Herein wereview recent advances in understanding the formation and action of these mediators, especially focusing on the LC-ESI-MS/MS-based lipidomics approach and on recently identified bioactive compounds with potent anti-inflammatory properties.