Dietary fatty acid composition is sensed by the NLRP3 inflammasome: omega-3 fatty acid (DHA) prevents NLRP3 activation in human macrophages

Food Funct. 2016 Aug 10;7(8):3480-7. doi: 10.1039/c6fo00477f. Epub 2016 Jul 13.

Abstract

The Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is considered to be a pivotal host platform responsible for sensing of exogenous and endogenous danger signals, including those generated as a result of metabolic dysregulation, and for the subsequent, IL-1β-mediated orchestration of inflammatory and innate immunity responses. In this way, although the molecular link between diet-induced obesity and inflammasome activation is still unclear, free fatty acids (FFA) have been proposed as a triggering event. We report that dietary fatty acid (FA) composition is sensed by the NLRP3 inflammasome in human macrophages. For this purpose, we have analysed three roles of FA supplementation: as a priming signal for ATP-activated macrophages, in determining where the administration of dietary FAs interferes with LPS-mediated inflammasome activation and by inducing inflammasome activation per se. In this study, we confirm that saturated (SFAs) activated the NLRP3 inflammasome and stimulated the secretion of the IL-1β cytokine, while PUFAs were mainly inhibitors. Moreover, in general, DHA (n-3 PUFA) was more effective in preventing inflammasome activation than arachidonic acid (n-6 PUFA).

MeSH terms

  • Arachidonic Acid / administration & dosage
  • Caspase 1 / genetics
  • Caspase 1 / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Diet*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / administration & dosage
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects
  • Inflammasomes / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-1 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
  • Macrophages / drug effects*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein / genetics
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein / metabolism*
  • Obesity / drug therapy
  • THP-1 Cells

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Inflammasomes
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • NF-kappa B
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • NLRP3 protein, human
  • Arachidonic Acid
  • Caspase 1