The effect of long-chain n-3 PUFA on liver transcriptome in human obesity

Obesity increases the risk of diseases like atherosclerotic- cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are known for their anti-inflammatory and metabolic benefits, but their direct impact on liver gene expression in people with obesity, remains unclear. In this study, patients with obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) were administered either n-3 PUFAs or butter before bariatric surgery. Liver biopsies were analysed for gene expression via Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). The results revealed 80 dysregulated pathways across 9 clusters, including those related to insulin and lipid metabolism, and immunity. This sheds light on how n-3 PUFAs influence gene expression in the liver of patients with obesity, setting the groundwork for further clinical exploration.