Oxylipins are potent lipid mediators that impact diverse aspects of health and disease, for example, regulating inflammation in cancer, cardiovascular disease and immunity. Exemplifying this, well-known drugs that target the prostaglandin pathway to modulate inflammatory diseases include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and diclofenac.

The main focus of the Oxylipin Interest Group (IG) is to facilitate discussion and exchange of best practice information relating to oxylipin analysis using LC-MS/MS, as well as to provide a forum for presenting cutting edge research into these lipids and their many bioactions in health and disease.

The quantitative analysis of oxylipins using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) presents technical challenges, relating to their low abundance, rapid metabolism to conjugated or chain-shortened forms, the presence of many closely eluting isomers, and similar fragmentation patterns, especially when generated non-enzymatically. Accurate quantitation of oxylipins requires both chromatography and MS/MS, as well as the availability of authentic and stable isotope–labelled synthetic analytical standards.

Working with almost 100 researchers worldwide, the Oxylipin IG recently developed technical recommendations to ensure best practice when quantifying oxylipins by LC-MS/MS (Science Signaling, 2025, DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.adw1245).

To support this activity, an oxylipin MS/MS spectral library was recently launched on LIPID MAPS (https://lipidmaps.org/databases/oxylipin/browse).

Further goals will include the improvement and harmonization of sample preparation techniques and sample storage to prevent artificial formation and degradation of oxylipins, generation of reference material for analysis and development of tools that support the biological interpretation of the role(s) of these lipids in health and disease.