Lipid mediators of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) are inflammatory joint diseases, characterized by pain and structural damage. Besides prostaglandins, usually targeted by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, other lipids, including fatty acids, phospholipids and other bioactive lipid mediators derived from fatty acids could also contribute to RA and OA. In this review, we present evidence for the role of fatty acids and derivatives in RA and OA by summarizing findings related to their presence in serum and synovial fluid, as well as their association with clinical characteristics and effects on RA and OA tissues in vitro. Finally, a more direct evidence for their role in RA and OA derived from intervention studies in humans or mouse models of disease is summarized. Based on the presented data, we present a research agenda, in which some key unresolved questions regarding the role of lipids in RA and OA are formulated.