Omega-3 from Flaxseed Oil Protects Obese Mice Against Diabetic Retinopathy Through GPR120 Receptor

• Main Authors: Marcella Neves Dátilo, Marcella Ramos Sant’Ana, Guilherme Pedron Formigari, Patrícia Brito Rodrigues, Leandro Pereira de Moura, Adelino Sanchez Ramos da Silva, Eduardo Rochete Ropelle, José Rodrigo Pauli, Dennys Esper Cintra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2018-09-01
• Series: Scientific Reports
• Subjects: G Protein-coupled Receptors (GPR120); GPR120 Receptor; Outer Nuclear (ONL); Fatty Acid Arachidonate; Inner Nuclear Layer (INL)
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32553-5

Abstract The chronic and low-grade inflammation induced by obesity seem to be the “first hit” to retinopathy associated to diabetes type 2. Herein, we hypothesized that omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed oil enriched diet disrupt the pro-inflammatory status in the retina, protecting against retinopathy development. For eight weeks under a high-fat diet (HF), several physiological parameters were monitored to follow the metabolic homeostasis disruption. After this period, mice were treated with a HF substituted in part of lard by flaxseed oil (FS) for another eight weeks. Food behavior, weight gain, glucose and insulin sensitivity, electroretinography, RT-qPCR and western blots were carried out. The HF was able to induce a pro-inflammatory background in the retina, changing IL1β and TNFα. VEGF, a master piece of retinopathy, had early onset increased also induced by HF. The FS-diet was able to decrease inflammation and retinopathy and improved retinal electro stimuli compared to HF group. GPR120 and GPR40 (G Protein-Coupled Receptors 120 and 40), an omega-3 fatty acid receptors, were detected in the retina for the first time. FS-diet modulated the gene expression and protein content of these receptors. Thus, unsaturated fatty acids protect the retina from diabetes type 2 mice model from disease progression.