Specialized pro-resolving mediators: Biosynthetic pathways, biocatalytic synthesis, and applications.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of biochemical pathways and biocatalytic engineering methods without clinical data
PubMed 40783145 · doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2025.108682
What was done
This narrative review summarizes the biological functions, endogenous biosynthetic pathways, and recent biocatalytic engineering strategies for synthesizing specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), including lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, and maresins derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids. It outlines the specific enzyme cascades (lipoxygenases, aspirin-triggered cyclooxygenases, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases) and examines microbial cell engineering, protein design, and computational/AI methods to optimize production.
What was found
The abstract reports no clinical or comparative trial numbers. It notes that recombinant microbial cells expressing double-oxygenating lipoxygenases have enabled SPM synthesis yields to reach the gram-per-liter scale from precursor fatty acids (arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and n-3 docosapentaenoic acid).
Why it matters
Scaling SPM production via microbial biocatalysis addresses yield bottlenecks, facilitating the exploration and translation of these pro-resolving lipid mediators into food, cosmetic, and therapeutic applications.
Limits
As a narrative review, it lacks a systematic review methodology or formal risk-of-bias assessment. The abstract does not report specific quantitative metrics across different engineered pathways or provide direct in vivo therapeutic safety and efficacy data.
Cited by
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