Dietary long-chain n-3 PUFAs mitigate CD4 T cell/adipocyte inflammatory interactions in co-culture models of obese adipose tissue.

Obese adipose tissue (AT) inflammation is partly driven by accumulation of CD4 T helper (Th)1 cells and reduced Th2 and T regulatory subsets, which promotes macrophage chemotaxis and ensuing AT metabolic dysfunction. This study investigated CD4 T cell/adipocyte cytokine-mediated paracrine interactions (cross talk) as a target for dietary intervention to mitigate obese AT inflammation. Using an in vitro co-culture model designed to recapitulate CD4 T cell accumulation in obese AT (5% of stromal vascular cellular fraction), 3T3-L1 adipocytes were co-cultured with purified splenic CD4 T cells from C57Bl/6 mice consuming one of two isocaloric diets containing either 10% w/w safflower oil (control, CON) or 7% w/w safflower oil+3% w/w fish oil (FO) for 4 weeks (n=8-11/diet).