Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids And Lipid Mediators Controlling Chronic Inflammation In Asthma

Abstract

Asthma is a common chronic heterogeneous inflammatory respiratory disease with complex pathogenesis. Chronic lung inflammation can be the result of a defect in the resolution of the inflammatory process caused by an imbalance between the synthesis of proinflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediators. The identification of immunomodulatory effects of eicosanoids, specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), and endocannabinoids synthesized from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) allows taking a fresh look at the ways of controlling inflammation rather than solely at its mechanisms. The use of ω-3 PUFA-containing food supplements in combination with standard therapy leads to improved asthma control due to the ability of ω-3 PUFAs to stimulate SPM synthesis and inhibit intracellular signaling pathways of inflammation. Lipid mediators are agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) that have anti-inflammatory properties. The receptors that are widely expressed in the pulmonary epithelium, endothelium, dendritic cells, eosinophils, fibroblasts, and macrophages play an important role in the regulation of immunometabolic homeostasis in the bronchopulmonary system. Our review systematizes the published data on the properties and mechanism of action of biologically active ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs involved in the inflammatory process in asthma. Also, this article presents the prospects of using ω-3 PUFAs for the resolution of inflammation in asthma.