An international group of scientists from the U.S., Canada, Germany and Russia has revealed a naturally occurring organic compound that can suppress the pro-inflammatory activity of macrophages. The compound, itaconate, is released in large quantities by macrophages, but until now, its role has been poorly understood. Now, scientists have found evidence that itaconate acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. These properties make itaconate promising for the treatment of pathologies caused by excessive inflammation or oxidative stress. Such conditions may be associated with cardiac ischemia, metabolic disorders and perhaps autoimmune diseases. The findings were published in Cell Metabolism.
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