title: Aging is characterized by a profound reduction in anti-inflammatory lipoxin A4 levels.
abstract: Ongoing low-grade chronic inflammation represents a pathogenetic background for age-related diseases. In this report, we tested the hypothesis that endogenous anti-inflammatory mechanisms may become less efficient with age, resulting in increased susceptibility to inflammatory disorders. Using previously validated ELISA assays, we evaluated urinary levels of the anti-inflammatory, pro-resolution, arachidonic acid (AA) metabolite, lipoxin (LX)A(4) and of the pro-inflammatory cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) in volunteers aged from 26 to over 100 years. (i) LXA(4) excretion was decreased in elderly people, resulting in a profound unbalance of the LXA(4)/cysLTs ratio, which may be considered an index of the endogenous anti-inflammatory potential. A significant inverse correlation was denoted between age and the LXA(4)/cysLTs ratio (rho = -0.41, P = 0.0026). We conclude that aging is associated with a switch in arachidonic acid metabolism that prevents formation of key 'stop signals' of the inflammatory reaction. This may contribute to promote the development of disease in elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangemi
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pescara
authors.forename: Etrusca
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Urbano
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nicita-Mauro
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davì
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000652:urine*; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000652:urine; D044045:Lipoxins / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015289:Leukotrienes; D044045:Lipoxins; C040527:lipoxin A4; D016718:Arachidonic Acid