Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Cardiovascular Health
Summary
Arachidonic acid, a 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acid esterified in cell membranes, is released by phospholipase A₂ in response to mechanical, inflammatory or hormonal stimuli. Once liberated, it is metabolised through three principal enzymatic cascades: the cyclooxygenase pathway generates prostaglandins and thromboxanes that modulate vascular tone, platelet aggregation and endothelial permeability; the lipoxygenase pathway produces leukotrienes and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids involved in leukocyte recruitment and inflammatory signalling; and the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase pathway yields epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and corresponding diols that regulate vasodilatation, angiogenesis and cardiomyocyte survival. A balanced profile of these bioactive lipids underpins vascular homeostasis, while dysregulation contributes to atherosclerotic plaque development, hypertension, reperfusion injury and thrombosis. Therapeutic interventions targeting specific enzymes—such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs against cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenase inhibitors and emerging soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors—offer promise in modulating cardiovascular risk. Understanding the interplay of these pathways is vital for the development of precision medicine strategies aimed at preventing and treating cardiovascular disease worldwide.
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Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Cardiovascular Health publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in arachidonic acid metabolism in cardiovascular health across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Arachidonic acid: An essential omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid stored in membrane phospholipids and released by phospholipase A₂.
Eicosanoids: Bioactive lipid mediators derived from arachidonic acid, including prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids.
Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs): Cytochrome P450-derived epoxide metabolites that induce vasodilatation and possess anti-inflammatory properties.
Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH): An enzyme that converts EETs into less active diols, thereby attenuating their vascular and anti-inflammatory effects.
Oxylipins: A broad class of oxygenated fatty acid derivatives, including eicosanoids, that regulate inflammation, vascular tone and cellular signalling.
References
- The prognostic and therapeutic significance of polyunsaturated fatty acid‐derived oxylipins in ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction. iMeta (2025).
- Multi-tissue profiling of oxylipins reveal a conserved up-regulation of epoxide:diol ratio that associates with white adipose tissue inflammation and liver steatosis in obesity. EBioMedicine (2024).
- Metabolism pathways of arachidonic acids: mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (2021).
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