Figure 1.

A mechanistic model highlighting potential mechanisms underlying fish oil-induced biogenesis and activation of thermogenic adipocytes. In vivo evidence has suggested that fish oil activates TRPV1 in the gastrointestinal tract and that this, by stimulating the sympathetic nerves that innervate fat cells, causes adipose thermogenesis. Fish oil also acts as a ligand of GPR120 and activation of this cell-surface receptor seems to induce several effects that might contribute to the thermogenic effects of fish oil. In adipocytes this includes expression of miR-30b and secretion of FGF21. Furthermore, secretion of VEGF-A promotes angiogenesis and anti-inflammatory effects are induced in immune cells upon activation of GPR120. In addition to these mechanisms, activation of AMPK in adipocytes and secretion of apelin might be implicated as well.