Salvia hispanica L. (chia) seed have beneficial effects upon visceral adipose tissues extracellular matrix disorders and inflammation developed in a sucrose-rich diet-induced adiposity rodent model.

We have previously demonstrated that dietary Salvia hispanica L. (chia) seed, rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA), was able to reduce visceral adiposity and improves insulin sensitivity in a rodent experimental model of adiposity induced by the administration of a sucrose-rich diet (SRD). The evidence suggests that the pathological expansion of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is accompanied by changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which can lead to fibrosis, and/or a greater expression of pro-inflammatory adipokines. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of chia seed administration upon key components and modulators of ECM remodeling and inflammation in different white adipose tissues (WAT) (epididymal-eWAT- and retroperitoneal-rWAT-) in a SRD-induced adiposity rodent model. The results showed that chia seed reduced the increased hydroxyproline levels observed in SRD-fed group and this was accompanied by changes in the activity/expression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9. No changes were observed in transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) expression levels. In addition, this nutritional intervention was able to reduce the levels of PAI-1 and MCP-1, and to increase the levels of adiponectin in both VAT. An increase in the ratio of n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the membrane phospholipids of both VAT was also observed. The present study demonstrated that chia seed have anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory actions in the VAT which could play a key role in the amelioration of visceral adiposity and whole-body insulin insensitivity developed in SRD-fed rats.