Effects of arachidonic acid metabolites on cardiovascular health and disease

Arachidonic acid (AA) is an essential fatty acid that is released by phospholipids in cell membranes and metabolized by cyclooxygenase (COX), cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, and lipid oxygenase (LOX) pathways to regulate complex cardiovascular function under physiological and pathological conditions. Various AA metabolites include prostaglandins, prostacyclin, thromboxanes, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, leukotrienes, lipoxins, and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. The AA metabolites play important and differential roles in the modulation of vascular tone, and cardiovascular complications including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and myocardial infarction upon actions to different receptors and vascular beds. This article reviews the roles of AA metabolism in cardiovascular health and disease as well as their potential therapeutic implication.Research Committee of the University of Macau | Ref. SRG2019-00154-ICMSResearch Committee of the University of Macau | Ref. MYRG2019-00157-ICMSOperation Fund of State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine of University of Macau | Ref. SKL-QRCM(UM)-2020-202