Margaret Hatcher

STAT4 Deficiency Reduces Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance and Adipose Tissue Inflammation

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 4 is one of the seven members of the STAT family. STAT4 has a prominent role in mediating interleukin-12–induced T-helper cell type 1 lineage differentiation. T cells are key players in the maintenance of adipose tissue (AT) inflammation. The role of STAT4 in obesity and AT inflammation is unknown. We sought to determine the role of STAT4 in AT inflammation in obesity-induced insulin resistance. We studied STAT4-null mice on the C57Bl6/J background. We have found that STAT4−/−C57Bl6/J mice develop high-fat diet–induced obesity (DIO) similar to wild-type controls, but that they have significantly improved insulin sensitivity and better glucose tolerance. Using flow cytometry and real-time PCR, we show that STAT4−/− mice with DIO produce significantly reduced numbers of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in adipocytes, have reduced numbers of CD8+ cells, and display increased alternative (M2) macrophage polarization. CD8+ cells, but not CD4+ cells, from STAT4−/− mice displayed reduced in vitro migration. Also, we found that adipocyte inflammation is reduced and insulin signaling is improved in STAT4−/− mice with DIO. We have identified STAT4 as a key contributor to insulin resistance and AT inflammation in DIO. Targeting STAT4 activation could be a novel approach to reducing AT inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity.

Adipose Tissue 12/15 Lipoxygenase Pathway in Human Obesity and Diabetes

CONTEXT Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a key contributor to chronic inflammation in obesity. The 12/15-lipoxygenase pathway (ALOX) is present in adipose tissue (AT) and leads to inflammatory cascades that are causal for the onset of insulin resistance in rodent models of obesity. OBJECTIVE The pathophysiology of the ALOX 12/15 pathway in human AT is unknown. We characterized the ALOX pathway in different AT depots in obese humans with or without type 2 diabetes (T2D). DESIGN This study includes a cross-sectional cohort of 46 morbidly obese (body mass index >39 kg/m(2)) nondiabetic (n = 25) and T2D (n = 21) subjects. SETTING This study was conducted at Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk, Virginia) in collaboration with Sentara Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery Center (Sentara Medical Group, Norfolk, Virginia). PATIENTS Twenty-five obese (body mass index 44.8 ± 4.4 kg/m(2)) nondiabetic (hemoglobin A1c 5.83% ± 0.27%) and 21 obese (43.4 ± 4.1 kg/m(2)) and T2D (hemoglobin A1c 7.66% ± 1.22%) subjects were included in the study. The subjects were age matched and both groups had a bias toward female gender. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Expression of ALOX isoforms along with fatty acid substrates and downstream lipid metabolites were measured. Correlations with depot-specific inflammatory markers were also established. RESULTS ALOX 12 expression and its metabolite 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid were significantly increased in the VAT of T2D subjects. ALOX 15A was exclusively expressed in VAT in both groups. ALOX 12 expression positively correlated with expression of inflammatory genes IL-6, IL-12a, CXCL10, and lipocalin-2. CONCLUSIONS ALOX 12 may have a critical role in regulation of inflammation in VAT in obesity and T2D. Selective ALOX 12 inhibitors may constitute a new approach to limit AT inflammation in human obesity.