Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 May;59(5):879-94.
doi: 10.1007/s00125-016-3904-9. Epub 2016 Mar 3.

Adipose tissue macrophages: going off track during obesity

Lily Boutens  1   2 , Rinke Stienstra  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Adipose tissue macrophages: going off track during obesity

Lily Boutens et al. Diabetologia. 2016 May.

Abstract

Inflammation originating from the adipose tissue is considered to be one of the main driving forces for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in obese individuals. Although a plethora of different immune cells shapes adipose tissue inflammation, this review is specifically focused on the contribution of macrophages that reside in adipose tissue in lean and obese conditions. Both conventional and tissue-specific functions of adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) in lean and obese adipose tissue are discussed and linked with metabolic and inflammatory changes that occur during the development of obesity. Furthermore, we will address various circulating and adipose tissue-derived triggers that may be involved in shaping the ATM phenotype and underlie ATM function in lean and obese conditions. Finally, we will highlight how these changes affect adipose tissue inflammation and may be targeted for therapeutic interventions to improve insulin sensitivity in obese individuals.

Keywords: Adipose tissue; Fat; Immune cells; Inflammation; Insulin resistance; Macrophages; Metabolism; Obesity; Review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Overview of the different stressors that shape ATM function in lean vs obese adipose tissue
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Shoelson SE, Herrero L, Naaz A. Obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Gastroenterology. 2007;132:2169–2180. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2007.03.059. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R, King H. Global prevalence of diabetes: estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:1047–1053. doi: 10.2337/diacare.27.5.1047. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Trayhurn P, Wood IS. Adipokines: inflammation and the pleiotropic role of white adipose tissue. Br J Nutr. 2004;92:347–355. doi: 10.1079/BJN20041213. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Odegaard JI, Chawla A. Mechanisms of macrophage activation in obesity-induced insulin resistance. Nat Clin Pract Endocrinol Metab. 2008;4:619–626. doi: 10.1038/ncpendmet0976. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Weisberg SP, McCann D, Desai M, Rosenbaum M, Leibel RL, Ferrante AW., Jr Obesity is associated with macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue. J Clin Invest. 2003;112:1796–1808. doi: 10.1172/JCI200319246. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types