New Piece in the Jigsaw Puzzle: Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells From Obese Subjects Drive Th17 Polarization

摘要

The global epidemic of obesity is constantly growing and represents an enormous challenge for health care systems worldwide. Obesity fuels the development of metabolic syndrome that includes components such as elevated glucose levels, insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure, and increased levels of triglycerides (1). Obesity and metabolic syndrome increase the risk of metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease, and atherosclerosis, and contribute to a reduction in life expectancy (2). In the U.S., the obesity rate in adults has reached 36% and obesity affects more than 1 billion people worldwide (3). Currently, 9.3% of the U.S. population has diabetes. In adults, T2D accounts for 90-95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes, and the estimated total economic burden of diabetes in the U.S. is $245 billion (4). Thus, it is imperative that we increase our understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the development of obesity-induced insulin resistance and T2D, which will help identify therapeutic targets to reduce the impact of these syndromes on morbidity and mortality.