Immune regulation in obesity-associated adipose inflammation

J Immunol. 2013 Jul 15;191(2):527-32. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1301035.

Abstract

Adipose tissue inflammation is often a consequence of obesity and is characterized by infiltration and activation of immune cells that overproduce cytokines and chemokines. This apparent loss of immune regulation in obese adipose tissue contributes to the ongoing chronic inflammation that is thought to promote the degradation of metabolic parameters in obesity. Much recent work has sought to identify the immune cell subsets that are involved in adipose tissue inflammation, understand the mechanisms by which adipose tissue inflammation develops, and develop immunotherapeutic strategies to reverse this process. In this review, we describe the known mechanisms that underlie the loss of immune regulation in obesity-associated adipose tissue inflammation and set the stage for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / metabolism
  • Adipose Tissue / immunology*
  • Adipose Tissue / metabolism
  • Chemokines / biosynthesis
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Obesity / immunology*
  • Obesity / metabolism

Substances

  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines