A new study by scientists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) has found that a high-fat diet triggers a dangerous immune system reaction in abdominal fat, increasing the risk of diabetes and other diseases. While it is well-known that excess belly fat can lead to inflammation and long-term health problems, not everyone with excess weight is equally affected. The researchers discovered that the potentially harmful immune processes in abdominal fat are primarily triggered by a particularly fatty diet. The key players in this process are plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), which are immune cells that fight potentially dangerous changes and viruses with inflammatory messenger substances. The study found that a high-fat diet leads to more pDC immune cells entering visceral fat, which can become immunologically active and release inflammatory substances.
The researchers conducted experiments on mice, feeding them either a normal or a very high-fat diet for three weeks. They found that the high-fat diet led to significantly more abdominal fat and immunological changes in the fat tissue. The pDC immune cells were activated and released more inflammatory substances, including interferon-1, which is characteristic of the early reaction of the body to disturbances in the metabolic balance. If this process continues for a long time, it can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes. The study shows that not only does excess weight affect our health and immune system, but our daily diet is also crucial for our health.
The researchers suggest that these findings could be used as a basis for new therapeutic approaches. If pDCs could be prevented from entering fat tissue, it may be possible to prevent resulting diseases. This previously unknown modulation of pDC cells by a high-fat diet sheds new light on how our daily diet affects the complex interaction between the immune system and fat tissue. The study highlights the importance of a healthy diet in maintaining good health and preventing diseases.
