Chia Oil Supplementation Attenuates Obesity-Induced Hepatic Steatosis, PVAT Inflammation, and Endothelial Dysfunction...

Obesity promotes metabolic disturbances that contribute to hepatic steatosis, adipose tissue dysfunction, and vascular impairments. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) plays a critical role in vascular homeostasis, yet little is known about plant-derived omega 3 fatty acids modulate PVAT remodeling during obesity. Here, we investigated whether dietary chia oil supplementation, an abundant source of α-linolenic acid, attenuates metabolic, inflammatory, and vascular dysfunction in obese mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a chow (C) or high-fat diet (HF) diet for 14 weeks and a subset of high-fat-fed mice received chia oil (1.5% v/v) from weeks 8-14 (HC). Chia oil improved insulin sensitivity, increased adiponectin levels, and reduced leptin and hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Histological and molecular analyses showed decreased macrovesicular steatosis and FABP4 expression beside increased CPT-1α and PGC-1α, indicating enhanced lipid oxidation. In mesenteric PVAT, chia oil reduced adipocyte hypertrophy and macrophage infiltration while increasing IL-10 and CD206 expression. Functionally, chia oil restored acetylcholine-induced vasodilation, reduced norepinephrine-mediated vasoconstriction, and increased AMPK phosphorylation. Chia oil supplementation ameliorates key features of obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction, supporting ALA-rich oils as promising nutritional strategies against metabolic disease.