Abstract
Obesity and insulin resistance are closely associated with chronic inflammation in adipose tissue, where macrophages play an important role. Adipose tissue macrophages can be divided into two main phenotypes: the classical M1 macrophages and alternatively activated macrophages M2. M1 macrophages produce pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, interleukin IL-6 and MCP-1) and thus contribute to the development of insulin resistance. On the other hand, M2 macrophages, anti-inflammatory, are involved in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and are typical in the adipose tissue of slender individuals. Macrophages can also play a role in the pathogenesis of other serious illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases or cancer. This article reviews the latest data on macrophage polarization in adipose tissue.
Highlights
Macrophages are present in all tissues and show a huge functional diversity
In this article we summarize recent findings concerning the role of macrophages polarization in obese adipose tissue
It is generally accepted that the M1 macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue is associated with metabolic changes linked to obesity
Summary
Macrophages are present in all tissues and show a huge functional diversity. In recent years a large amount of new information about the origin of macrophages in the steady state and in the context of the inflammation has opened up a numerous new directions in research of new therapeutic interventions. Fourteen years ago Weisberg et al.[1] first described macrophages infiltration in adipose tissue as the main trigger of the inflammation associated with obesity and insulin resistance. The number of classically activated M1 macrophages increases in the adipose tissues of obese individuals, contributing to the inflammation processes and insulin resistance.
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