Signaling lipids: Molecular targets for targeted therapies

Abstract

Recent advances in lipid biology have reshaped our understanding of lipids as dynamic signaling mediators rather than just structural or energy-storage molecules. Over the years, diverse classes of signaling lipids have been identified, and they have been shown to govern key physiological processes through interactions with specific receptors. Additionally, the identification and characterization of the metabolic enzymes for these signaling lipids have advanced our understanding of the physiological pathways they regulate. For a few classes of signaling lipids, these discoveries have translated into clinically approved therapeutics, while emerging lipid mediators represent exciting new targets under exploration for various human diseases. Current research emphasizes dissecting the complexity and crosstalk of lipid signaling networks to improve therapeutic specificity and efficacy. In this review, we briefly summarize recent efforts that have been made in developing new drugs for signaling lipids that are already in clinical use and for emerging lipid mediators that have a direct connection to human diseases.