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Updated: Jul 16, 2025
Isolation, Characterization, and Purification of Macrophages from Tissues Affected by Obesity-related Inflammation
Published on: April 3, 2017
Macrophage-associated markers of metaflammation are linked to metabolic dysfunction in pediatric obesity
Julia Lischka1, Andrea Schanzer2, Charlotte de Gier2
1Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Pediatrics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria; Obesity Research Unit, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
Backgpound:
Metabolically driven chronic low-grade adipose tissue inflammation, so-called metaflammation, is a central feature in obesity. This inflammatory tone is largely driven by adipose tissue macrophages (ATM), which express pro- and anti-inflammatory markers and cytokines such as, e.g., IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), CD163 and osteopontin (OPN). Metaflammation ultimately leads to the development of cardiometabolic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association between selected adipose tissue macrophage-associated markers and metabolic comorbidities in pediatric obesity.
Methods:
From a pediatric cohort with obesity (n = 108), clinically thoroughly characterized including diverse routine blood parameters, oral glucose tolerance test and liver MRI, plasma IL-1RA, soluble (s)CD163 and OPN were measured by ELISA.
Results:
We observed significantly higher IL-1RA, sCD163, and OPN levels in the plasma of children with metabolic-dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and metabolic syndrome. Moreover, IL-1RA and sCD163 correlated with hepatic disease and apoptosis markers alanine aminotransferase and CK-18. IL-1RA concentrations additionally correlated with insulin resistance, while children with disturbed glucose metabolism had significantly higher levels of sCD163.
Conclusion:
MAFLD and other metabolic disorders in pediatric patients with obesity are associated with an elevation of adipose tissue macrophage-related inflammation markers.
