"Western Diet"-Induced Adipose Inflammation Requires a Complex Gut Microbiota

Consumption of a low-fiber, high-fat, Western-style diet (WSD) induces adiposity and adipose inflammation characterized by increases in the M1:M2 macrophage ratio and proinflammatory cytokine expression, both of which contribute to WSD-induced metabolic syndrome. WSD-induced adipose inflammation might result from endoplasmic reticulum stress in lipid-overloaded adipocytes and/or dissemination of gut bacterial products, resulting in activation of innate immune signaling. Hence, we aimed to investigate the role of the gut microbiota, and its detection by innate immune signaling pathways, in WSD-induced adipose inflammation.

Mice were fed grain-based chow or a WSD for 8 weeks, assessed metabolically, and intestinal and adipose tissue were analyzed by flow cytometry and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Microbiota was ablated via antibiotics and use of gnotobiotic mice that completely lacked microbiota (germ-free mice) or had a low-complexity microbiota (altered Schaedler flora). Innate immune signaling was ablated by genetic deletion of Toll-like receptor signaling adaptor myeloid differentiation primary response 88.

Ablation of microbiota via antibiotic, germ-free, or altered Schaedler flora approaches did not significantly impact WSD-induced adiposity, yet dramatically reduced WSD-induced adipose inflammation as assessed by macrophage populations and cytokine expression. Microbiota ablation also prevented colonic neutrophil and CD103^- dendritic cell infiltration. Such reduced indices of inflammation correlated with protection against WSD-induced dysglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and liver dysfunction. Genetic deletion of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 also prevented WSD-induced adipose inflammation.

These results indicate that adipose inflammation, and some aspects of metabolic syndrome, are not purely a consequence of diet-induced adiposity per se but, rather, may require disturbance of intestine-microbiota interactions and subsequent activation of innate immunity.