Cited by 23Immune cells in cancerAtherosclerosis and Cardiovascular DiseasesAdipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases

A novel strategy to dissect multifaceted macrophage function in human diseases

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Karlinsey, Keaton, Qu, Lili, Matz, Alyssa J, Zhou, Beiyan·2022·Journal of Leukocyte Biology

Abstract

Macrophages are widely distributed immune cells that play central roles in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes, including obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). They are highly plastic cells that execute diverse functions according to a combination of signaling and environmental cues. While macrophages have traditionally been understood to polarize to either proinflammatory M1-like or anti-inflammatory M2-like states, evidence has shown that they exist in a spectrum of states between those 2 phenotypic extremes. In obesity-related disease, M1-like macrophages exacerbate inflammation and promote insulin resistance, while M2-like macrophages reduce inflammation, promoting insulin sensitivity. However, polarization markers are expressed inconsistently in adipose tissue macrophages, and they additionally exhibit phenotypes differing from the M1/M2 paradigm. In atherosclerotic CVD, activated plaque macrophages can also exist in a range of proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory states. Some of these macrophages scavenge lipids, developing into heterogeneous foam cell populations. To better characterize the many actions of macrophages in human disease, we have designed a novel set of computational tools: MacSpectrum and AtheroSpectrum. These tools provide information on the inflammatory polarization status, differentiation, and foaming of macrophages in both human and mouse samples, allowing for better characterization of macrophage subpopulations based on their function. Using these tools, we identified disease-relevant cell states in obesity and CVD, including the novel concept that macrophage-derived foam cell formation can follow homeostatic noninflammatory or pathogenic inflammatory foaming programs.

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  • Macrophages exist along a continuum of activation states, with M1 and M2 representing the prototypical pro- and anti-inflammatory extremes.

    “Although macrophages have traditionally been classified as either classically-activated (M1) or alternatively-activated (M2), it is now recognised that they exist along a continuum of activation states 8 , with M1 and M2 representing the prototypical pro-and anti-inflammatory extremes of this spectrum 9 .”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [65]McInnes L, Healy J, and Melville J. Umap: Uniform manifold approximation and projection for dimension reduction. arXiv preprint arXiv:180203426. 2018.

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Authors
Karlinsey, K., Qu, L., Matz, A. J., & Zhou, B.
Affiliations
University of Connecticut (US)
Corresponding author
Zhou, Beiyan
Venue
Journal of Leukocyte Biology
Published
2022-06-21
Volume
112
Issue
6
Pages
1535-1542
ISSN
  • 0741-5400 (ISSN-L)
  • 1938-3673
OpenAlex
W4283212618
Cited by
23
References
88
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 4
FWCI
0.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Leukocyte Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK121805)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune cells in cancer
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
Keywords
macrophage polarization, M1/M2 macrophages, adipose tissue macrophages, obesity, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, foam cells, insulin resistance, inflammation, macrophage differentiation
MeSH terms
Animals, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Humans, Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Macrophages, Obesity, Atherosclerosis, Mice

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