Investigating the Independent Roles of Linoleic Acid and Arachidonic Acid on White Adipose Tissue Inflammation in Fads2 Knock-Out Mice
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This thesis is an investigation into the influence of two distinct n-6 PUFA, linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA), on inflammatory signalling pathways in white adipose tissue (WAT) using fatty acid desaturase 2 knock-out (Fads2-/-) mice. Delineating the independent roles of n-6 PUFA is challenging due to the continuous endogenous conversion of LA into AA. Fads2 regulates the initial rate-limiting step in this conversion. Therefore, Fads2-/- mice are unable to convert LA into AA. Following consumption of carefully formulated low-fat diets for nine weeks, LA and AA were highly enriched in serum and different WAT depots in both wild-type and Fads2-/- mice; however, neither n-6 PUFA activated inflammatory gene and protein expression. Furthermore, the outcomes were similar in both subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue depots. Collectively this thesis demonstrates that LA and AA do not induce WAT inflammation when consumed as part of a low fat diet.