Fatty acids aggravate ailments associated with obesity
Inflammation of the tissues increases the presence of PAI-1 molecule that increases the risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Molecules called free fatty acids circulating in the blood can directly increase the risk of diseases linked to obesity, according to a study released Wednesday by the journal Science Translational Medicine.
In addition, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of New York and Southwestern Medical Center at the University of Texas said the study shows why dangerously inflamed fatty tissue in obese individuals.
The tissue inflammation is a normal process whereby the body tries to counteract the infection.
However, this can spin out in cases of obesity and diseases linked to overweight such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.
According to scientists, the study clarifies the relationship between these fatty acids and inflammation in a breakthrough that could lead to development of better drugs for the treatment of patients with obesity-related diseases.
In the study, scientists administered fatty acids to a group of healthy adults and non-diabetics in order to increase its presence at levels similar to those recorded in obesity and diabetes.
With such high levels of fatty acids, participants not only failed to respond properly to insulin, but also increased levels of a potentially harmful molecule, identified as PAI-1 and is believed to raise the risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases .
After examining the fabric of those participants, the researchers found that inflammatory cells congregate around the fatty tissue in obese people produced more PAI-1 molecules.
According to scientists, the presence of free fatty acids triggered inflammatory cells so therefore increasing the production of PAI-1.