Enzymes and mediators involved in inflammatory process

"Enzymes and mediators involved in the inflammatory process" is a collective term for the diverse biochemical network that orchestrates the body's response to pathogens, tissue injury, or cellular stress [4][12]. Central to this group are enzymes like cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 (COX-1, COX-2) and lipoxygenases, which catalyze the synthesis of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes from arachidonic acid [10][11]. Protein-based mediators, including cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), serve as signaling molecules that amplify the inflammatory cascade, activate vascular endothelium, and recruit leukocytes to the site of insult [14][16][19]. Dysregulation of these mediators is a hallmark of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and cardiovascular disease [12][17]. Pharmacological interventions frequently target these pathways using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to inhibit enzyme activity, corticosteroids to suppress overall cytokine production, or biologics to neutralize specific mediators or block their respective receptors [1][14][18]. Monitoring levels of these mediators, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) or IL-6, provides clinical insights into disease severity and therapeutic efficacy [2][3][8].

Other names

Inflammatory mediatorsChemical mediators of inflammationPro-inflammatory factorsInflammatory enzymesInflammatory cascade components

Drugs modulate this system by inhibiting biosynthetic enzymes (e.g., COX-1/2), antagonizing cell-surface receptors (e.g., IL-1R, TNF receptors), neutralizing circulating proteins with monoclonal antibodies, or suppressing gene transcription via nuclear receptor activation.