Immune Netw.  2006 Dec;6(4):169-178. 10.4110/in.2006.6.4.169.

The Interaction of Adipose Tissue with Immune System and Related Inflammatory Molecules

• Kim YH
• Choi BH
• Do MS

• KMID: 1513148
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4110/in.2006.6.4.169

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Adipose tissues were initially introduced as energy storages, but recently they have become famous as an endocrine organ which produces and secretes various kinds of molecules to make physiologic and metabolic changes in human body. It has been studied that these molecules are secreted in abundance as the adipose tissue becomes bigger along with obesity. Furthermore, it has been found that they are mediating systemic inflammation and generation of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. On the basis of these, we studied previous papers which have been researched about the interaction between preadipocytes and macrophages, adipose tissues and lymph nodes, and adipose tissue secreting molecules.
RESULTS
Firstly, preadipocytes and macrophages are expressing similar transcriptomes and proteins, and preadipocytes can be converted to mature macrophages which have phagocytic activity. Moreover, the monocytes, which initially located in the bone marrow, are filtrated to the adipose tissue by monocyte chemotatic protein-1 and are matured to macrophages by colony stimulating factor-1. Secondly, adipose tissues and their associated lymph nodes are interacting each other in terms of energy efficiency. Lymph nodes promote lipolysis in adipose tissues, and polyunsaturated fatty acids in adipocytes become energy sources for dendritic cells. Lastly, adipose tissues produce and secrete proinflammatory molecules such as leptin, adiponectin, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and acute phase proteins, which induce the inflammation and potentially generate metabolic diseases.
CONCLUSION
According to these, we can link adipose tissues to inflammation, but we need to affirm the actual levels and roles of adipose tissue-derived proinflammatory molecules in human body.

Keyword

Adipose tissue; preadipocyte; macrophage; lymph node; inflammatory molecules

MeSH Terms

Acute-Phase Proteins
Adipocytes
Adiponectin
Adipose Tissue*
Atherosclerosis
Bone Marrow
Dendritic Cells
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
Human Body
Immune System*
Inflammation
Interleukin-6
Leptin
Lipolysis
Lymph Nodes
Macrophages
Metabolic Diseases
Monocytes
Negotiating
Obesity
Transcriptome
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Acute-Phase Proteins
Adiponectin
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
Interleukin-6
Leptin
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha