A new study sheds light into the role of lipid mediators in curbing inflammation driven by adaptive immune cells, opening the door to harnessing these molecules to treat chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders.
Specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs) are signaling molecules produced mainly by innate immune cells that control and prevent the spread of inflammation. While their role in resolving inflammation in the innate immune system is well-known, whether they have similar effects on adaptive immunity has remained elusive.
Studying human blood samples and mice, Valerio Chiurchiù and colleagues now find that SPMs can control the balance between potentially pathogenic T helper cells and tolerance-promoting regulatory T cells, which is often askew during chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders. SPMs blocked the differentiation of naïve T cells into T helper cells and also suppressed their activation. At the same time, the signaling molecules enhanced the production of regulatory T cells known to promote immune tolerance. Mice unable to produce SPM precursors showed greater T cell inflammatory responses, which were reversed after restoring SPMs.
Altogether, the findings suggest that SPM-based therapies may offer a new avenue for treating chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.
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