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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
Isolation, Characterization, and Purification of Macrophages from Tissues Affected by Obesity-related Inflammation
Published on: April 3, 2017
Macrophage-colony stimulating factor in obese adipose tissue: studies with heterozygous op/+ mice
Satoshi Sugita1, Yasutomi Kamei, Jun-Ichiro Oka
1Department of Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10 Kanda-surugadai, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan.
Objective:
We examined the gene expression of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) in mice with diet-induced obesity and in genetically obese mice. We also examined the effect of decreased M-CSF signaling on the susceptibility to obesity and macrophage recruitment into the adipose tissue of mice.
Research Methods And Procedures:
The adipose tissue from mice with diet-induced obesity, obese KKA(y) mice, and ob/ob obese mice was used for RNA preparation. Production of M-CSF and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The op/+ heterozygous mice, with decreased functional M-CSF expression, were placed on a high-fat diet or crossed with KKA(y) mice to study the susceptibility to obesity. The gene expression of macrophage markers in adipose tissue was examined.
Results:
The expression of M-CSF was not significantly changed in mice on a high-fat diet or in either type of genetic obesity (KKA(y) or ob/ob mice). No change in the degree of obesity or macrophage-related gene expression (F4/80, CD68, and MCP-1) in the adipose tissue was observed in op/+ mice compared with +/+ control mice, which were either treated with a high-fat diet or crossed with KKA(y) mice.
Discussion:
This study demonstrated that there was no significant change in the expression of M-CSF in the adipose tissue from obese mice and only a minor phenotypic change, such as macrophage infiltration, in the adipose tissue from op/+ mice, suggesting that M-CSF does not play a major role in macrophage recruitment in the adipose tissue of obese mice.
Insights
Macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) gene expression remains unchanged in obese mice. Decreased M-CSF signaling did not significantly impact obesity or macrophage recruitment in adipose tissue.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolic Diseases
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation in adipose tissue, involving macrophage infiltration.
- Macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) is crucial for monocyte and macrophage development and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate M-CSF gene expression in diet-induced and genetically obese mice.
- To determine the role of M-CSF signaling in obesity susceptibility and adipose tissue macrophage recruitment.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA were used to measure M-CSF and MCP-1 levels in adipose tissue.
- Mice with reduced M-CSF expression (op/+ heterozygotes) were subjected to high-fat diets or crossed with obese models (KKA(y)).
- Macrophage marker gene expression (F4/80, CD68) in adipose tissue was analyzed.
Main Results:
- M-CSF expression showed no significant alteration in diet-induced or genetically obese mice (KKA(y), ob/ob).
- Mice with reduced M-CSF signaling (op/+) did not exhibit increased obesity or altered macrophage marker gene expression in adipose tissue.
- Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were also unchanged.
Conclusions:
- M-CSF expression is not significantly altered in the adipose tissue of obese mice.
- Reduced M-CSF signaling does not play a major role in macrophage recruitment into adipose tissue during obesity.
- These findings suggest M-CSF is not a primary driver of adipose tissue inflammation in obesity.
