title: Lymphocyte roles in metabolic dysfunction: of men and mice.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic disease associated with obesity-related insulin resistance (IR) and chronic inflammation. Animal studies indicate that IR can be caused and/or exacerbated by systemic and/or tissue-specific alterations in lymphocyte differentiation and function. Human studies also indicate that obesity-associated inflammation promotes IR. Nevertheless, clinical trials with anti-inflammatory therapies have yielded modest impacts on established T2D. Unlike mouse models, where obesity is predominantly associated with IR, 20-25% of obese humans are metabolically healthy with high insulin sensitivity. The uncoupling of obesity from IR in humans but not in animal models advocates for a more comprehensive understanding of mediators and mechanisms of human obesity-promoted IR, and better integration of knowledge from human studies into animal experiments to efficiently pursue T2D prevention and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Blanche C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.affiliation: Obesity Immunology Group, Education and Research Centre, St Vincent's University Hospital, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: bnikol@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Barbara S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Nikolajczyk
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
keywords: insulin resistance; lymphocyte subsets; obesity; type 2 diabetes