Diets high in saturated fatty acids are associated with the development of circadian dysregulation, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Conversely, unsaturated fatty acids are now known to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce weight gain, and alleviate obesity-induced inflammation. The aforementioned effects of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids have also been identified in the hypothalamus; however, there is a paucity of studies regarding the role of unsaturated fatty acids in circadian rhythms. Therefore, a novel cell model was established to examine the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on circadian rhythms in hypothalamic neurons. The mHypoE-37 cell line expresses Bmal1, Per2, and Rev-erbĪ± in a circadian manner. The saturated fatty acid, palmitate, was found to induce circadian dysregulation of the mHypoE-37 neurons, whereas the unsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, protected against palmitate-induced circadian changes. These studies are the first to identify the potential for unsaturated fatty acids to protect the circadian system.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/65436 |
Date | 18 June 2014 |
Creators | Greco, James |
Contributors | Belsham, Denise |
Source Sets | University of Toronto |
Language | en_ca |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis |
Page generated in 0.0015 seconds