Review

Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder?

Number: Advanced Online Publication Early Pub Date: August 14, 2026

Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder?

Abstract

Current treatments for DR include photocoagulation, intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF, anti-IL-6 and anti-TNF-α agents and corticosteroids in addition to the control of DM. However, these therapies are ineffective, and vision loss progresses in most patients (2/3). Hence, more effective therapies are needed. Although the retina is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and these fatty acids and their metabolites have profound modulatory effects on vasoactive activity and inflammation, their involvement in DR has been overlooked. We showed that the retinal content and vitreal concentration of LXA4 are lower in DR patients than in nondiabetic and DM patients with no retinopathy. Hence, it is proposed that AA and LXA4 deficiency occurs in DR and are of significant benefit in its treatment. This previously proposed arguments are further elaborated and extended to induce the potential benefit of other anti-inflammatory compounds such as resolvins, protectins and maresins. In this perspective it is argued that AA itself could be of benefit in DR by virtue of its ability to form the immediate precursor of LXA4.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

None

Ethical Statement

NA

Thanks

None

References

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  2. Antonetti, D. A., Klein, R., & Gardner, T. W. (2012). Diabetic retinopathy. New England Journal of Medicine, 366, 1227–1239. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1005073.
  3. Arisaka, M., Arisaka, O., Fukuda, Y., & Yamashiro, Y. (1986). Prostaglandin metabolism in children with diabetes mellitus. I. Plasma prostaglandin E2, F2α, TXB2, and serum fatty acid levels. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 5(6), 878–882. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005176-198611000-00009.
  4. Bathina, S., & Das, U. N. (2019). PUFAs, BDNF and lipoxin A4 inhibit chemical-induced cytotoxicity of RIN5F cells in vitro and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus in vivo. Lipids in Health and Disease, 18(1), 214. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-019-1164-7.
  5. Bathina, S., & Das, U. N. (2021). Resolvin D1 decreases severity of streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus by enhancing BDNF levels, reducing oxidative stress, and suppressing inflammation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(4), 1516. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22041516.
  6. Bathina, S., Gundala, N. K. V., Rhenghachar, P., Polavarapu, S., Hari, A. D., Sadananda, M., & Das, U. N. (2020). Resolvin D1 ameliorates nicotinamide-streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus by its anti-inflammatory action and modulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in the brain. Archives of Medical Research, 51(6), 492–503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.05.002.
  7. Bazan, N. G. (2008). Neurotrophins induce neuroprotective signaling in the retinal pigment epithelial cell by activating the synthesis of the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic neuroprotectin D1. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 613, 39–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-74904-4_3.
  8. Bellenger, J., Bellenger, S., Bataille, A., Massey, K. A., Nicolaou, A., Rialland, M., Tessier, C., Kang, J. X., & Narce, M. (2011). High pancreatic n-3 fatty acids prevent STZ-induced diabetes in fat-1 mice: Inflammatory pathway inhibition. Diabetes, 60(4), 1090–1099. https://doi.org/10.2337/db10-0901.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Basic Pharmacology

Journal Section

Review

Early Pub Date

August 14, 2026

Publication Date

-

Submission Date

May 23, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 22, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication

APA
Das, U. (2026). Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder? Recent Trends in Pharmacology, Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.62425/rtpharma.1957627
AMA
1.Das U. Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder? Recent Trends in Pharmacology. 2026;(Advanced Online Publication). doi:10.62425/rtpharma.1957627
Chicago
Das, Undurti. 2026. “Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder?”. Recent Trends in Pharmacology, no. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.62425/rtpharma.1957627.
EndNote
Das U (August 1, 2026) Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder? Recent Trends in Pharmacology Advanced Online Publication
IEEE
[1]U. Das, “Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder?”, Recent Trends in Pharmacology, no. Advanced Online Publication, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.62425/rtpharma.1957627.
ISNAD
Das, Undurti. “Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder?”. Recent Trends in Pharmacology. Advanced Online Publication (August 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.62425/rtpharma.1957627.
JAMA
1.Das U. Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder? Recent Trends in Pharmacology. 2026. doi:10.62425/rtpharma.1957627.
MLA
Das, Undurti. “Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder?”. Recent Trends in Pharmacology, no. Advanced Online Publication, Aug. 2026, doi:10.62425/rtpharma.1957627.
Vancouver
1.Undurti Das. Is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) a Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and Arachidonic Acid (AA) Deficiency Disorder? Recent Trends in Pharmacology. 2026 Aug. 1;(Advanced Online Publication). doi:10.62425/rtpharma.1957627