The diverse roles of macrophages in metabolic inflammation and its resolution

Abstract

Macrophages are one of the most functionally diverse immune cells, indispensable to maintain tissue integrity and metabolic health. Macrophages perform a myriad of functions ranging from promoting inflammation, through inflammation resolution to restoring and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Metabolic diseases encompass a growing list of diseases which develop from a mix of genetics and environmental cues leading to metabolic dysregulation and subsequent inflammation. In this review, we summarize the contributions of macrophages to four metabolic conditions–insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and neurodegeneration. The role of macrophages is complex, yet they hold great promise as potential therapies to address these growing health concerns.

Adipocyte- and Monocyte-Mediated Vicious Circle of Inflammation and Obesity (Review of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms)

“…The traditional classification of macrophages based on functional properties includes a pool of M1 pro-inflammatory cells (surface markers F4/80, CD11c, iNOS) and M2 anti-inflammatory cells (secretion of IL4, IL10, IL13, and the surface markers CD206, CD301, CD68, CD11b, arginase 1, and F4/80). In addition, AT macrophages (ATMs) are divided into resident and recruited macrophages, which are formed from monocytes [1]. Human ATMs in adipose tissue are thought to exhibit a mixed phenotype in obesity, characterized by the common expression of CD11c (M1), CD206, and CD163 (M2).…”

“…Obesity is a global human problem that has reached the scale of a worldwide epidemic. Obesity is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), which affects 537 million people worldwide and could reach 784 million by 2045 [1].…”