A complex immune communication between eicosanoids and pulmonary macrophages

Abstract

Respiratory viral infections represent a constant threat for human health and urge for a better understanding of the pulmonary immune response to prevent disease severity. Macrophages are at the center of pulmonary immunity, where they play a pivotal role in orchestrating beneficial and/or pathological outcomes during infection. Eicosanoids, the host bioactive lipid mediators, have re-emerged as important regulators of pulmonary immunity during respiratory viral infections. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge linking eicosanoids' and pulmonary macrophages' homeostatic and antimicrobial functions and discuss eicosanoids as emerging targets for immunotherapy in viral infection.