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Linking Inflammation and Insulin Resistance
(Thursday August 27 2009)
 | Excess visceral fat, the insulin resistance of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, and chronic, damaging inflammation all go together. But why? Looking at the fat tissue tells us that macrophages seem to be involved, but here researchers dive in deeper, finding "in cultured cells and mouse experiments that Fox01 stimulates inflammatory white blood cells called macrophages, which migrate to the liver and adipose, or fat, tissue in insulin-resistant states, to increase production of a cytokine called interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B). The cytokine in turn interferes with insulin signaling. Insulin typically inhibits Fox01, setting up a feedback loop in healthy tissues that helps regulate insulin levels. ... The findings suggest that when there is a lack of insulin or when cells such as macrophages are resistant to its presence, there are no brakes on Fox01's stimulation of IL-1B and its further interference with insulin signaling. That might explain why chronic inflammation often is coupled with obesity and type 2 diabetes." All the more reason to take better care of your health so that you don't find yourself experiencing this firsthand. |
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