Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
Fluorescence-mediated Tomography for the Detection and Quantification of Macrophage-related Murine Intestinal Inflammation
Published on: December 15, 2017
Modifications of mesenteric adipose tissue during moderate experimental colitis in mice
Isabelle Olivier1, Vassilia Theodorou1, Philippe Valet2
1INRA, UMR 1331 Toxalim, Neuro-Gastroenterology & Nutrition Group, Toulouse, France; University of Toulouse, EI-Purpan, UMR 1331 Toxalim, Neuro-Gastroenterology & Nutrition Group, Toulouse, France.
Aims:
Adipose tissue secretes various proteins referred to as adipokines, being involved in inflammation. It was recognized that mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) is altered by inflammation, and pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations of the mesenteric adipose tissue in two experimental colitis models in mice adapted to obtain moderate colonic inflammation.
Main Methods:
Colonic inflammation was obtained using two models, either DSS dissolved in drinking water or intra-colonic instillation of DNBS. The expression of adipokines (leptin and adiponectin) and inflammatory markers (IL-6, MCP-1, F4/80) was studied by qRT-PCR in the MAT of treated and control mice.
Key Findings:
Observations of the colon and IL-6 plasma level determination demonstrated that DNBS treatment led to stronger inflammation. Colitis induced a decrease of mRNA encoding to leptin and adiponectin in MAT. In contrast, colonic inflammation led to an increase of mRNA encoding to IL-6, MCP-1 and F4/80, a specific marker of macrophages.
Significance:
The mesenteric adipose tissue, in two models of moderate colitis, shows a loss of adipose profile and a strong increase of inflammatory pattern, close to the observations made in MAT of IBD patients. These data suggest that these pro-inflammatory modifications of MAT have to be taken into account in the pathophysiology of IBD.
