Lipid metabolites in urine possible biomarkers for inflammatory states in dogs

A recent study analyzed the metabolites of some important polyunsaturated fatty acids in the urine of dogs in order to expand the diagnostic possibilities for various diseases in these animals. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PU FAs) are essential molecules for mammals. In fact, their metabolites play several important physiological roles, for example, prostaglandins and leukotrienes are implicated in inflammatory processes. The omega-6 and omega-3 PUFAs such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are converted into hundreds of lipid mediators by cyclooxygenases (COX), lipoxygenases (LOX), cy...