Macrophage gene expression is related to obesity and the metabolic syndrome in human subcutaneous fat as well as in visceral fat

• Published in: Diabetologia Vol. 54; no. 4; pp. 876 - 887
• Main Authors: Klimcakova, E, Roussel, B, Kovacova, Z, Kovacikova, M, Siklova-Vitkova, M, Combes, M, Hejnova, J, Decaunes, P, Maoret, J. J, Vedral, T, Viguerie, N, Bourlier, V, Bouloumié, A, Stich, V, Langin, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.04.2011; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Abdomen; Adipose Tissue; Adipose Tissue - cytology; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adult; Aged; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Body fat; Body weight; Cells, Cultured; Computed tomography; Cytokines; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; DNA microarrays; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; Gene expression; Glucose; Human adipose tissue; Human Physiology; Humans; Inflammation; Insulin; Insulin resistance; Internal Medicine; Intra-Abdominal Fat; Intra-Abdominal Fat - cytology; Intra-Abdominal Fat - metabolism; Laboratories; Life Sciences; Macrophage; Macrophages; Macrophages - metabolism; Medical research; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - metabolism; Metabolic Syndrome X; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Obesity; Obesity - metabolism; Other metabolic disorders; Overweight; Overweight - metabolism; Polymerase chain reaction; Reverse transcription; Subcutaneous Fat; Subcutaneous Fat - cytology; Subcutaneous Fat - metabolism; Tomography; visceral fat; Young Adult; France; Czech Republic; Visceral fat; Obesity; Subcutaneous fat; Inflammation; Metabolic syndrome; Human adipose tissue; Macrophage; Endocrinopathy; Human; Adipose tissue; Subcutaneous; Diabetes mellitus; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Cardiovascular disease; Gene expression; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0012-186X; 1432-0428
• DOI: 10.1007/s00125-010-2014-3

Aims/hypothesis Our goal was to identify a set of human adipose tissue macrophage (ATM)-specific markers and investigate whether their gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) as well as in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is related to obesity and to the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome. Methods ATM-specific markers were identified by DNA microarray analysis of adipose tissue cell types isolated from SAT of lean and obese individuals. We then analysed gene expression of these markers by reverse transcription quantitative PCR in paired samples of SAT and VAT from 53 women stratified into four groups (lean, overweight, obese and obese with the metabolic syndrome). Anthropometric measurements, euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp, blood analysis and computed tomography scans were performed. Results A panel of 24 genes was selected as ATM-specific markers based on overexpression in ATM compared with other adipose tissue cell types. In SAT and VAT, gene expression of ATM markers was lowest in lean and highest in the metabolic syndrome group. mRNA levels in the two fat depots were negatively correlated with glucose disposal rate and positively associated with indices of adiposity and the metabolic syndrome. Conclusions/interpretation In humans, expression of ATM-specific genes increases with the degree of adiposity and correlates with markers of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome to a similar degree in SAT and in VAT.