PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Spencer, Michael
AU  - Finlin, Brian S.
AU  - Unal, Resat
AU  - Zhu, Beibei
AU  - Morris, Andrew J.
AU  - Shipp, Lindsey R.
AU  - Lee, Jonah
AU  - Walton, R. Grace
AU  - Adu, Akosua
AU  - Erfani, Rod
AU  - Campbell, Marilyn
AU  - McGehee, Robert E.
AU  - Peterson, Charlotte A.
AU  - Kern, Philip A.
TI  - Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Adipose Tissue Macrophages in Human Subjects With Insulin Resistance
AID  - 10.2337/db12-1042
DP  - 2013 May 01
TA  - Diabetes
PG  - 1709--1717
VI  - 62
IP  - 5
4099  - http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/62/5/1709.short
4100  - http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/62/5/1709.full
SO  - Diabetes2013 May 01; 62
AB  - Fish oils (FOs) have anti-inflammatory effects and lower serum triglycerides. This study examined adipose and muscle inflammatory markers after treatment of humans with FOs and measured the effects of ω-3 fatty acids on adipocytes and macrophages in vitro. Insulin-resistant, nondiabetic subjects were treated with Omega-3-Acid Ethyl Esters (4 g/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Plasma macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) levels were reduced by FO, but the levels of other cytokines were unchanged. The adipose (but not muscle) of FO-treated subjects demonstrated a decrease in macrophages, a decrease in MCP-1, and an increase in capillaries, and subjects with the most macrophages demonstrated the greatest response to treatment. Adipose and muscle ω-3 fatty acid content increased after treatment; however, there was no change in insulin sensitivity or adiponectin. In vitro, M1-polarized macrophages expressed high levels of MCP-1. The addition of ω-3 fatty acids reduced MCP-1 expression with no effect on TNF-α. In addition, ω-3 fatty acids suppressed the upregulation of adipocyte MCP-1 that occurred when adipocytes were cocultured with macrophages. Thus, FO reduced adipose macrophages, increased capillaries, and reduced MCP-1 expression in insulin-resistant humans and in macrophages and adipocytes in vitro; however, there was no measureable effect on insulin sensitivity.