Cited by 727Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic DiseasesImmune cells in cancerCytokine Signaling Pathways and Interactions

Signaling by IL-6 promotes alternative activation of macrophages to limit endotoxemia and obesity-associated resistance to insulin

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Mauer, Jan, Chaurasia, Bhagirath, Goldau, Julia, Vogt, Merly C, Ruud, Johan, Nguyen, Khoa D, Theurich, Sebastian, Hausen, A Christine +10 more·2014·Nature Immunology

Abstract

Obesity and resistance to insulin are closely associated with the development of low-grade inflammation. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is linked to obesity-associated inflammation; however, its role in this context remains controversial. Here we found that mice with an inactivated gene encoding the IL-6Rα chain of the receptor for IL-6 in myeloid cells (Il6ra(Δmyel) mice) developed exaggerated deterioration of glucose homeostasis during diet-induced obesity, due to enhanced resistance to insulin. Tissues targeted by insulin showed increased inflammation and a shift in macrophage polarization. IL-6 induced expression of the receptor for IL-4 and augmented the response to IL-4 in macrophages in a cell-autonomous manner. Il6ra(Δmyel) mice were resistant to IL-4-mediated alternative polarization of macrophages and exhibited enhanced susceptibility to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxemia. Our results identify signaling via IL-6 as an important determinant of the alternative activation of macrophages and assign an unexpected homeostatic role to IL-6 in limiting inflammation.

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  • Several studies demonstrate an anti-inflammatory role for IL6.

    “On the other hand, several studies demonstrate an anti-inflammatory role for IL6 (Mauer et al., 2014; Nandi et al.).”

    From Origin and function of stress-induced IL-6 in murine models (2020) · cites this paper as Mauer et al., 2014

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Authors
Mauer, J., Chaurasia, B., Goldau, J., Vogt, M. C., Ruud, J., Nguyen, K. D., Theurich, S., Hausen, A. C., Schmitz, J., Brönneke, H. S., Estevez, E., Allen, T. L., Mesaros, A., Partridge, L., Febbraio, M. A., Chawla, A., Wunderlich, F. T., & Brüning, J. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Cologne (DE)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research (DE)
  • Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (AU)
  • Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing (DE)
Corresponding author
Brüning, Jens C
Venue
Nature Immunology
Published
2014-03-30
Volume
15
Issue
5
Pages
423-430
ISSN
  • 1529-2908 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2916
OpenAlex
W2100386453
Cited by
727
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 61 · 2021: 79 · 2020: 74 · 2019: 64 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 70 · 2016: 67 · 2015: 53 · 2014: 25 · 2012: 1
FWCI
54.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Immunology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Kölner Universitäts PublikationsServer (Universität zu Köln) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (098565)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL076746, R01HL076746)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK-094641, R01DK094641)
  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (DP1AR064158)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune cells in cancer
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cytokine Signaling Pathways and Interactions
Keywords
interleukin-6, IL-6 receptor alpha, macrophage polarization, alternative macrophage activation, endotoxemia, lipopolysaccharide, insulin resistance, obesity, low-grade inflammation, IL-4 receptor, glucose homeostasis, diet-induced obesity, myeloid cells
MeSH terms
Animals, Cells, Cultured, Humans, Insulin Resistance, Lipopolysaccharides, Macrophage Activation, Macrophages, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mutation, Obesity, Signal Transduction, Interleukin-4, Interleukin-6, Mice, Knockout, Endotoxemia, Receptors, Interleukin-6, Mice

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