Avaliação do perfil de macrófagos tratados com pequenas vesículas extracelulares de tecido adiposo humano

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic condition described by the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue (AT), resulting from a positive energy balance and associated with genetic and environmental factors. This excess AT is an important risk factor for diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Once seen only as an energy reservoir, the AT is now recognized as an active organ with metabolic, immunological and endocrine functions, which secretes adipokines and other bioactive factors that affect metabolism and inflammation during obesity, there is an infiltration of immune cells, mainly macrophages, into the AT. These macrophages can adopt pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotypes, and the imbalance between these phenotypes contributes to the chronic inflammation observed in obese individuals. Recently, AT-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained prominence, as they are responsible for mediating intercellular communication and influencing inflammation and metabolism. Studies indicate that small extracellular vesicles (pVEs) originating from obese adipocytes carry proteins, lipids and RNAs that can exacerbate inflammation and insulin resistance, demonstrating their role in the intersection between metabolism and immunity. These EVPs have high levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-8, MCP-1 and TGF-β, as well as nitric oxide, intensifying the systemic inflammatory response. In addition, obesogenic EVPs significantly alter macrophage gene expression, particularly the regulation of inflammatory genes such as CCL-2 and IL-1β.