oxylipins

Oxylipins are a diverse family of oxygenated derivatives of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) produced by enzymatic pathways and, in some cases, non-enzymatic oxidation. In animals, they mainly arise from arachidonic acid (AA) and include prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, lipoxins, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), and various hydroxylated fatty acids. Isoprostanes are formed by non-enzymatic peroxidation and are commonly used as markers of oxidative stress. Substrates such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) expand the catalog of oxylipins with related prostaglandins, resolvins, and other mediators.

In plants, oxylipins derive mainly from linolenic and linoleic acids and include jasmonates, green leaf volatiles, and related signaling molecules that regulate defense responses, development, and interplant communication.

Biosynthesis involves cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase (LOX), and cytochrome P450 epoxygenases, as well as non-enzymatic oxidation processes. The resulting oxylipins act as local mediators with a variety of biological effects. They regulate inflammation, pain, fever, vascular tone, and platelet function in animals, and contribute to resolution of inflammation via lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, and maresins. In plants, oxylipins participate in defense signaling and developmental processes.

Due to their pivotal signaling roles, oxylipin pathways are targets for therapeutic intervention (for example, COX inhibitors) and are studied as biomarkers of inflammatory and oxidative stress conditions. The field encompasses both animal and plant contexts, reflecting a wide spectrum of physiological functions.