Adjusting length of fatty acids consumed by mice altered the function of T helper cells in the gut – either intensifying or alleviating symptoms in an animal model of the autoimmune disease (i.e., multiple sclerosis).
A team compared in mice the effects of short-chain fatty acids, which are solely metabolized by gut bacteria and are typically found in fiber-rich diets, with the effects of long-chain fatty acids, the most abundant component of western diets. They found that long-chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid and palmitic acid, promoted the development and release of proinflammatory T cells from the intestinal wall to other areas in the body, including the brain...
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