Altered polarization, morphology, and impaired innate immunity germane to resident peritoneal macrophages in mice with long-term type 2 diabetes

J Biomed Biotechnol. 2012:2012:867023. doi: 10.1155/2012/867023. Epub 2012 Oct 3.

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with perturbed innate immunity. Macrophages, bridging innate immunity and metabolic disturbances, play important roles in controlling immune homeostasis. However, the effect of long-term diabetic milieu (DM) on the functions and phenotypes of macrophages is still not clear. In this study, we used resident peritoneal macrophages (RPMs) from 5-month-old db/db mice to investigate the changes of macrophages. It was found that RPMs in db/db mice significantly reduced phagocytosis and adhesion capacity. After standardization with body weight, the number of F4/80(+) RPMs markedly reduced in db/db mice, and, furthermore, the macrophages skewed to M2-polarizated macrophages. The results of morphology found that the RPMs shape of db/db mice was nearly round, but the RPMs shape of control mice was spindle-shaped and irregular. In this study, we found the cell numbers, morphology, and innate immunity functions of RPMs in 5-month-old type 2 diabetic mice (db/db mice) obtained by abdominal cavity lavage were significantly altered. Importantly, we also found the remarkably increased M2-RPMs in diabetic mice for the first time.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Polarity
  • Cell Size
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / immunology*
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology*
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Macrophages / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Peritoneum / immunology*
  • Peritoneum / pathology*