Fish Oils Effective in Reducing Chronic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have been able to identify the molecular mechanism in omega 3 fatty acids which makes them effective for reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.

This discovery may lead to developing an efficient dietary remedy for some of the 23 million Americans who suffer from diabetes and other conditions.

Jerrold Olefsky, MD, and other researchers were able to identify a key receptor on macrophages which are abundant in obese body fat. There is a significant correlation between obesity and diabetes. The researchers say omega 3 fatty acids activate this receptor, which results in broad anti-inflammatory effects and an improvment in insulin sensitivity systematically.

Macrophages are a specialized type of white blood cell that engulfs and digests cellular debris and pathogens in the blood. One function of this immune system response is that the macrophages secrete cytokines and other proteins that cause inflammation, a process for killing cells and other objects perceived to be harmful. Obese fat tissue contains a numerous amount of macrophages which produce large amounts of cytokines. This can result in chronic inflammation, as well as elevated insulin resistance in neighboring cells overexposed to the cytokines. Insulin resistance causes natural hormone insulin to become ineffective at regulating blood sugar levels, which can lead to a variety of severe health problems, most notably type 2 diabetes.

The researchers looked at cellular receptors which are known to respond to fatty acids. They eventually focused on a G-protein receptor called GPR120, a member of a family of signaling molecules involved in a variety of cellular functions. The GPR120 receptor is only located on pro-inflammatory macrophages in mature fat cells. When the receptor is deactivated, the macrophage causes inflammatory effects. However, when exposed to omega-3 fatty acids, specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the GPR120 receptor is turned on and produces a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

"It's just an incredibly potent effect," said Olefsky, a professor of medicine and associate dean of scientific affairs for the UC San Diego School of Medicine. "The omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response."

Source: Science Daily