Lipoxins, Resolvins, Protectins, Maresins, and Nitrolipids: Connecting Lipids, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Essential fatty acids and their metabolites (gamma-linolenic acid [GLA], dihomo-GLA, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid; prostaglandin E1; prostacyclin [PGI2]; PGI3; lipoxins; resolvins; protectins; maresins; and nitrolipids) prevent platelet aggregation, produce vascular relaxation, inhibit neutrophil degranulation and superoxide formation, inhibit platelet activation, possess peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-. ligand activity, and release nitric oxide. Thus, they lower blood pressure, are anti-arrhythmic and antiinflammatory in nature, reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, ameliorate the adverse actions of homocysteine, activate telomerase, and have cytoprotective propertiesactions that prevent atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Because coronary heart disease (CHD) and atherosclerosis are low- grade systemic inflammatory conditions, it is likely that reduced formation of lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, maresins, and nitrolipids plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of CHD. Hence, development of stable synthetic analogues of lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, and maresins may form a new therapeutic approach to CHD and other low- grade systemic inflammatory conditions.