Resolving inflammation: dual anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution lipid mediators

Episodes of acute inflammation must be resolved to avoid tissue damage and chronic disease. Three families of lipid mediators — lipoxins, resolvins and protectins — actively promote the resolution of inflammation through multiple mechanisms, as discussed in this Review. Active resolution of acute inflammation is a previously unrecognized interface between innate and adaptive immunity. Once thought to be a passive process, the resolution of inflammation is now shown to involve active biochemical programmes that enable inflamed tissues to return to homeostasis. This Review presents new cellular and molecular mechanisms for the resolution of inflammation, revealing key roles for eicosanoids, such as lipoxins, and recently discovered families of endogenous chemical mediators, termed resolvins and protectins. These mediators have anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution properties, thereby protecting organs from collateral damage, stimulating the clearance of inflammatory debris and promoting mucosal antimicrobial defence.