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Adipose tissues as an ancestral immune organ: Site‐specific change in obesity
Author(s) -
Caspar-Bauguil S.,
Cousin B.,
Galinier A.,
Segafredo C.,
Nibbelink M.,
André M.,
Casteilla L.,
Pénicaud L.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2005.05.031
Subject(s) - adipose tissue , immune system , biology , white adipose tissue , inflammation , adipose tissue macrophages , phenotype , medicine , natural killer cell , endocrinology , obesity , stroma , immunology , cytotoxic t cell , in vitro , gene , immunohistochemistry , genetics
Close relationships have been demonstrated between adipose tissue and the inflammatory/immune system. Furthermore, obesity is increasingly considered as a state of chronic inflammation. Cytofluorometric analysis reveals the presence of significant levels of lymphocytes in the stroma‐vascular fraction of white adipose tissues. In epididymal (EPI) fat, lymphocytes display an “ancestral” immune system phenotype (up to 70% of natural killer (NK), γδ + T and NKT cells among all lymphocytes) whereas the inguinal (ING) immune system presents more adaptive characteristics (high levels of αβ + T and B cells). The percentage of NK cells in EPI fat was decreased in obese mice fed with a high‐fat diet, whereas γδ positive cells were significantly increased in ING fat. These data support the notion that adipose tissue may elaborate immunological mechanisms to regulate its functions which might be altered in obesity.