Differential effects of high-fish oil and high-lard diets on cells and cytokines involved in the inflammatory process in rat insulin-sensitive tissues

Int J Mol Sci. 2014 Feb 20;15(2):3040-63. doi: 10.3390/ijms15023040.

Abstract

Dietary fat sources may differentially affect the development of inflammation in insulin-sensitive tissues during chronic overfeeding. Considering the anti-inflammatory properties of ω-3 fatty acids, this study aimed to compare the effects of chronic high-fish oil and high-lard diets on obesity-related inflammation by evaluating serum and tissue adipokine levels and histological features in insulin-sensitive tissues (white adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and liver). As expected, a high-lard diet induced systemic and peripheral inflammation and insulin resistance. Conversely, compared with a high-lard diet, a high-fish oil diet resulted in a lower degree of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance that were associated with a lower adipocyte diameter as well as lower immunoreactivity for transforming growth factor β 1 (TGFβ1) in white adipose tissue. A high-fish oil diet also resulted in a lower ectopic lipid depot, inflammation degree and insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle and liver. Moreover, a high-fish oil diet attenuated hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrogenesis in the liver, as indicated by the smooth muscle α-actin (α-SMA) and TGFβ1 levels. The replacement of lard (saturated fatty acids) with fish oil (ω-3 fatty acids) in chronic high-fat feeding attenuated the development of systemic and tissue inflammation.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Adipokines / blood
  • Adiponectin / blood
  • Adipose Tissue, White / cytology
  • Adipose Tissue, White / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Chemokine CCL2 / blood
  • Diet, High-Fat*
  • Dietary Fats, Unsaturated*
  • Hepatic Stellate Cells / cytology
  • Hepatic Stellate Cells / pathology
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Insulin / blood
  • Leptin / blood
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / pathology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood

Substances

  • Actins
  • Adipokines
  • Adiponectin
  • Blood Glucose
  • Chemokine CCL2
  • Dietary Fats, Unsaturated
  • Insulin
  • Leptin
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • smooth muscle actin, rat