Annexin A1 and specialized proresolving lipid mediators: promoting resolution as a therapeutic strategy in human inflammatory diseases

Introduction: The timely resolution of inflammation is essential to restore tissue homeostasis and to avoid chronic inflammatory diseases. Resolution of inflammation is an active process modulated by various proresolving mediators, including annexin A1 (AnxA1) and specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs), which counteract excessive inflammatory responses and stimulate proresolving mechanisms. Areas covered: The protective effects of AnxA1 and SPMs have been extensively explored in pre-clinical animal models. However, studies investigating the function of these molecules in human diseases are just emerging. This review highlights recent advances on the role of proresolving mediators, and pharmacological opportunities of promoting resolution pathways in preclinical models and patients with various human diseases. Expert opinion: Dysregulation or 'failure' in proresolving mechanisms might be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases. Altered levels of proresolving mediators were found in a wide range of human diseases. In some cases, AnxA1 and SPMs are up-regulated in human blood and tissues but fail to engage in proresolving signaling and, hence, to regulate excessive inflammation. Thus, the new concept of 'resolution pharmacology' could be applied to compensate deficiency of endogenous proresolving mediators' generation and/or possible failures in the engagement of resolution pathways observed in many chronic inflammatory diseases.