Individuals who are obese are at increased risk of developing a
combination of medical disorders associated with type 2 diabetes and
heart disease known as the metabolic syndrome. Recent studies have
suggested that adipose (fat) tissue obesity induces an inflammatory
state that is crucial to the development of the metabolic syndrome.
In a new study, Satoshi Nishimura, Ichiro Manabe, and colleagues at
the University of Tokyo, Japan have developed a technique based on
confocal laser microscopy to visualize cellular interactions within
mouse adipose tissue in vivo with high spatiotemporal resolution.
Changes indicative of inflammation were observed in the adipose tissue
of both mice that were obese through genetic mutations and mice that
were obese as a result of being fed a high-fat diet.
In addition, endothelial cells of the adipose tissue could be seen
interacting with inflammatory cells known as macrophages, indicating a
central role for interplay between these two cell types in the
activation of inflammation within the adipose tissue.
The authors therefore concluded that adipose tissue obesity is an
inflammatory disease and suggested that this technique might allow the
efficacy of potential therapeutics for the treatment of individuals
with diseases stemming from adipose tissue obesity to be evaluated in
vivo in mice.
Journal article: In vivo imaging in mice reveals local cell dynamics
and inflammation in obese adipose tissue. Journal of Clinical
Investigation. Jan. 17, 2008
Tonny
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