The role of eicosanoids in inflammatory hyperalgesia and pain

Inflammatory hyperalgesia and various forms of pain induce the production of essential bioactive lipids in the spinal cord and cerebrospinal fluid. Lipidomic analysis has demonstrated the production of numerous bioactive eicosanoids, including the novel role, in inflammatory hyperalgesia, of 12-lipoxygenase-derived spinal hepoxilins_A3 and _B3, which activate TRPV1 and TRPA1 receptors. Intrathecal administration of hepoxilin induces hyperalgesia in rats. The specific forms of the 12-lipoxygenase enzyme responsible for hepoxilin production were identified, as was the cellular origin in the spinal cord.