Mij
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Researchers at University College London (UCL) have identified a biological mechanism that helps the body bring inflammation to an end, a finding that could eventually lead to new treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases affecting millions of people.
Date: September 12, 2026
Source: University College London
Summary: Scientists have uncovered a natural braking system that helps the immune system switch off inflammation and prevent harmful immune cells from building up. Boosting this pathway in people reduced inflammation-related immune changes and sped up pain relief, pointing toward potential new treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases.
A Natural Brake on the Immune System
"The new study, published in Nature Communications, points to a group of small fat-derived molecules called epoxy-oxylipins as part of that shutdown process.
According to the researchers, these molecules act like natural brakes on the immune system. They help prevent excessive growth of intermediate monocytes,* a type of white blood cell that can support healing in the short term but may contribute to chronic inflammation if too many accumulate or remain active for too long.
To study the process directly in people, the researchers gave healthy volunteers a tiny injection of UV-killed E. coli bacteria in the forearm. Because the bacteria were no longer alive, they could not cause an infection, but they still triggered a temporary inflammatory response.
That reaction produced the familiar signs of inflammation, including pain, redness, heat, and swelling, similar to what can happen after an injury or infection."
Study:
Epoxy-oxylipins direct monocyte fate in inflammatory resolution in humans
Date: September 12, 2026
Source: University College London
Summary: Scientists have uncovered a natural braking system that helps the immune system switch off inflammation and prevent harmful immune cells from building up. Boosting this pathway in people reduced inflammation-related immune changes and sped up pain relief, pointing toward potential new treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases.
A Natural Brake on the Immune System
"The new study, published in Nature Communications, points to a group of small fat-derived molecules called epoxy-oxylipins as part of that shutdown process.
According to the researchers, these molecules act like natural brakes on the immune system. They help prevent excessive growth of intermediate monocytes,* a type of white blood cell that can support healing in the short term but may contribute to chronic inflammation if too many accumulate or remain active for too long.
To study the process directly in people, the researchers gave healthy volunteers a tiny injection of UV-killed E. coli bacteria in the forearm. Because the bacteria were no longer alive, they could not cause an infection, but they still triggered a temporary inflammatory response.
That reaction produced the familiar signs of inflammation, including pain, redness, heat, and swelling, similar to what can happen after an injury or infection."
Study:
Epoxy-oxylipins direct monocyte fate in inflammatory resolution in humans
