Resolvin D1, therapeutic target in acute respiratory distress syndrome

Acute lung injury (ALI), or its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is a disease with high mortality and is a serious challenge facing the World Health Organization because there is no specific treatment. The excessive and prolonged immune response is the hallmark of this disorder, so modulating and regulating inflammation plays an important role in its prevention and treatment. Resolvin D1 (RvD1) as a specialized pro-resolving mediator has the potential to suppress the expression of inflammatory cytokines and to facilitate the production of antioxidant proteins by stimulating lipoxin A4 receptor/formyl peptide receptor 2 (ALX/FPR2). These changes limit the invasion of immune cells into the lung tissue, inhibit coagulation, and enhance cell protection against oxidative stress (OS). In particular, this biomolecule reduces the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by blocking the activation of inflammatory transcription factors, especially nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and accelerating the synthesis of antioxidant compounds such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Therefore, the destruction and dysfunction of important cell components such as cytoplasmic membrane, mitochondria, Na+/k + adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) and proteins involved in the phagocytic activity of scavenger macrophages are attenuated. Numerous studies on the effect of RvD1 over inflammation using animal models revealed that Rvs have both anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving capabilities and therefore, might have potential therapeutic value in treating ALI. Here, we review the current knowledge on the classification, biosynthesis, receptors, mechanisms of action, and role of Rvs in ALI/ARDS.