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Updated: May 23, 2026
07:46
Isolation, Characterization, and Purification of Macrophages from Tissues Affected by Obesity-related Inflammation
Published on: April 3, 2017
Obesity, inflammation and the immune system
Fátima Pérez de Heredia1, Sonia Gómez-Martínez, Ascensión Marcos
1Immunonutrition Research Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science, Technology and Nutrition of the Spanish National Research Council (ICTAN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain. fatima.perezdeheredia@ictan.csic.es
The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
|March 21, 2012
Summary
Obesity involves chronic inflammation, impacting immune function and metabolic health. This review explores how adipose tissue and immune system interactions drive obesity-related complications.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolic Disease
- Adipose Tissue Biology
Background:
- Obesity is linked to chronic inflammation, affecting adults and children.
- Inflammation in obesity involves increased pro-inflammatory proteins and impaired immune function.
- Adipose tissue and immune system crosstalk is central to obesity pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review proposed mechanisms linking obesity, inflammation, and immune dysfunction.
- To highlight the role of adipose tissue in mediating inflammatory responses in obesity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on obesity, inflammation, and immunity.
- Discussion of proposed molecular and cellular mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Obesity alters immune cell counts and function.
- Key mechanisms include altered leptin/adiponectin levels, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) effects, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and hypoxia in adipose tissue.
- Visceral adipose tissue and central obesity appear more critical than total body fat.
Conclusions:
- A positive feedback loop exists between adipose tissue inflammation and immune response in obesity.
- This interplay contributes significantly to metabolic complications associated with obesity.
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