The roles of cell-cell and organ-organ crosstalk in the type 2 diabetes mellitus associated inflammatory microenvironment

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a classic metaflammatory disease, and the inflammatory states of the pancreatic islet and insulin target organs have been well confirmed. However, abundant evidence demonstrates that there are countless connections between these organs in the presence of a low degree of inflammation. In this review, we focus on cell-cell crosstalk among local cells in the islet and organ-organ crosstalk among insulin-related organs. In contrast to that in acute inflammation, macrophages are the dominant immune cells causing inflammation in the islets and insulin target organs in T2DM. In the inflammatory microenvironment (IME) of the islet, cell-cell crosstalk involving local macrophage polarization and proinflammatory cytokine production impair insulin secretion by β-cells. Furthermore, organ-organ crosstalk, including the gut-brain-pancreas axis and interactions among insulin-related organs during inflammation, reduces insulin sensitivity and induces endocrine dysfunction. Therefore, this crosstalk ultimately results in a cascade leading to β-cell dysfunction. These findings could have broad implications for therapies aimed at treating T2DM.

Keywords: Inflammatory microenvironment; Islet; Metaflammation; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; β-cell dysfunction.