Toward an understanding of how immune cells control brown and beige adipobiology
Open accessAbstract
Immune cells were recently found to have an unexpected involvement in controlling the thermogenic activity of brown and beige adipose tissue. Here, we review how macrophages, eosinophils, type 2 innate lymphoid cells, and T lymphocytes are linked to this process. In particular, the recruitment of alternatively activated macrophages and eosinophils is associated with brown fat activation and white fat browning. Conversely, pro-inflammatory immune cell recruitment represses the thermogenic activity of brown and beige adipose tissues via cytokines that inhibit noradrenergic signaling. Macrophages also influence the noradrenergic tone by degrading norepinephrine locally and by inhibiting sympathetic innervation over time.
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Proinflammatory cytokines impair brown adipose tissue function.
“proinflammatory cytokines impair BAT function [12]”
M2 alternatively activated macrophage infiltrates are crucial for beige and brown adipose tissue activity.
“Evidence suggests that M2 alternatively activated macrophage (Mφ) infiltrates are crucial for beige and brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity”
Considering that BAT function is dependent on an anti-inflammatory environment, this could also restore its thermogenic capacity, leading to enhanced energy expenditure and, consequently, loss of fat mass.
“Furthermore, considering that BAT function is dependent on an anti-inflammatory environment [12], this could also restore its thermogenic capacity, leading to enhanced energy expenditure and, consequently, loss of fat mass.”
M2 anti-inflammatory macrophages, mostly absent in obese WAT, appear to be crucial in WAT browning.
“M2 anti-inflammatory Mφ, mostly absent in obese WAT, appear to be crucial in the process of WAT browning [12]”
An anti-inflammatory environment is optimal for differentiation and activity of BAT.
“an anti-inflammatory environment is optimal for differentiation and activity of BAT [12]”
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References 73 · Cited by 198
- Authors
- Villarroya, F., Cereijo, R., Villarroya, J., Gavaldà-Navarro, A., & Giralt, M.
- Affiliations
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (ES)
- Hospital de Sant Pau (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Villarroya, Francesc
- Venue
- Cell Metabolism
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-05
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 954-961
- ISSN
- 1550-4131 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2802403156
- Cited by
- 198
- References
- 73
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 48 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 15
- FWCI
- 3.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Cell Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- European Regional Development Fund
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PI17/00420, SAF2017-85722-R)
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune cells in cancer
- Keywords
- immune cells, brown adipose tissue, beige adipose tissue, thermogenesis, macrophages, eosinophils, ILC2, T cells, M2 macrophages, white adipose tissue browning, noradrenergic signaling, sympathetic innervation, inflammatory cytokines, adipose tissue browning
- MeSH terms
- Adipose Tissue, Beige, Adipocytes, Beige, Animals, Adipose Tissue, Brown, Energy Metabolism, Eosinophils, Humans, Macrophages, Norepinephrine, T-Lymphocytes, Cytokines, Thermogenesis, Mice, Adipose Tissue, White, Adipocytes, Brown
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