protectin DX

Protectin DX (PDX) is a specialized pro-resolving lipid mediator (SPM) derived from the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). It is not a pharmaceutical drug but a naturally occurring bioactive lipid, known for its potent anti-inflammatory, pro-resolving, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic actions. PDX acts by facilitating the resolution of inflammation through several mechanisms, including stimulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) release in skeletal muscle, modulation of immune cell balance (notably restoring Treg/Th17 cell ratios), inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α), and activation of key metabolic regulators like AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). It has shown beneficial effects in animal models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, rheumatoid arthritis, frailty, osteoarthritis, sepsis, and pain conditions, among others. PDX exerts its effects via both direct modulation of inflammatory and metabolic pathways and by altering macrophage phenotype toward resolution of inflammation[1][2][3][4][5][7][8][9].

Other names

PDX