A new study from University College London (UCL) has uncovered a natural process in the body that helps stop inflammation. This breakthrough could lead to safer and more effective treatments for long-lasting illnesses like arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.
Inflammation is the body’s way of fighting infections or healing from injuries. But when this process doesn’t stop at the right time, it can become harmful.
Long-term or chronic inflammation is linked to many serious health conditions. Until now, scientists didn’t fully understand how the body decides to “turn off” this immune response and begin healing.
The UCL study, published in the journal Nature Communications, has discovered that small fat-based molecules called epoxy-oxylipins act like natural brakes for the immune system.
These molecules prevent the overgrowth of certain immune cells called intermediate monocytes. These cells are known to drive harmful inflammation that damages tissues and worsens diseases.
To explore this, researchers gave healthy volunteers a tiny injection of dead bacteria into their forearm. This caused a brief and mild inflammation, similar to what might happen with a small infection or injury.
The volunteers were divided into two groups: one group was given a drug before inflammation started, and the other group received the drug after inflammation had already begun.
The drug used in this study, GSK2256294, blocks an enzyme called sEH (soluble epoxide hydrolase). This enzyme normally breaks down epoxy-oxylipins. By blocking it, the body keeps more of these protective molecules.
In both groups—those who got the drug early and those who got it later—researchers found that blocking sEH raised epoxy-oxylipin levels.
This helped reduce the number of harmful immune cells and allowed pain to go away faster. Interestingly, the drug didn’t have a big effect on visible symptoms like swelling or redness, but it clearly changed what was happening on the inside.
One specific epoxy-oxylipin, called 12,13-EpOME, was found to shut down a protein signal called p38 MAPK, which plays a key role in turning normal immune cells into more harmful ones. This was confirmed both in lab tests and in real volunteers who took another drug that blocks p38.
Lead researcher Dr. Olivia Bracken said this discovery shows the body has its own natural way of calming inflammation. Learning how to boost this process could lead to new treatments that restore balance to the immune system without weakening it too much.
Professor Derek Gilroy, another author of the study, added that this is the first time epoxy-oxylipins have been studied in humans during real inflammation. The fact that the drug is already safe for human use means it could be quickly tested in people with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
Epoxy-oxylipins have been known in animal studies to reduce pain and inflammation, but their role in humans was not clear until now. Unlike well-known chemicals like histamine, epoxy-oxylipins are part of a less-studied system that may naturally calm the immune response.
The research team believes this discovery could lead to new ways of treating inflammatory flare-ups in autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues.
Future studies will explore whether sEH blockers like GSK2256294 can be used to treat conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, and others related to long-term inflammation. Researchers are also interested in combining this drug with other treatments to improve results and reduce pain in patients.
Experts from Arthritis UK welcomed the study, saying it could eventually lead to better pain control for people with arthritis, improving their movement, sleep, and emotional well-being.
Overall, this study shows how understanding the body’s natural systems can unlock new options for treating some of the most common and painful health problems affecting millions of people worldwide.
If you care about inflammation, please read studies about turmeric: nature’s golden answer to inflammation, and what to eat to reduce chronic Inflammation.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how a plant-based diet could help ease inflammation, and Vitamin D deficiency linked to increased inflammation.
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