Expression of anti-inflammatory macrophage genes within skeletal muscle correlates with insulin sensitivity in human obesity and type 2 diabetes

• Published in: Diabetologia Vol. 56; no. 7; pp. 1623 - 1628
• Main Authors: Fink, L. N., Oberbach, A., Costford, S. R., Chan, K. L., Sams, A., Blüher, M., Klip, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-07-2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Antigens, CD - genetics; Antigens, CD - metabolism; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic - genetics; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Body fat; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - genetics; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Glucose; Glucose Clamp Technique; Human Physiology; Humans; Hypotheses; In Vitro Techniques; Insulin resistance; Insulin Resistance - physiology; Internal Medicine; Lectins; Lectins, C-Type - genetics; Lectins, C-Type - metabolism; Male; Mannose-Binding Lectins - genetics; Mannose-Binding Lectins - metabolism; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Musculoskeletal system; Obesity; Obesity - genetics; Obesity - metabolism; Overweight; Plasma; Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Receptors, Immunologic - genetics; Receptors, Immunologic - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Short Communication; Striated muscle. Tendons; Vertebrates: osteoarticular system, musculoskeletal system; Canada; Germany; Type 2 diabetes; Exercise; Muscle insulin action; Insulin resistance; Mannose receptor; Inflammation; Macrophage galactose-binding lectin; Macrophage polarisation; Endocrinopathy; Physical exercise; Pancreatic hormone; Mannose; Gene; Nutritional status; Biological receptor; Human; Obesity; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Striated muscle; Insulin; Target tissue resistance; Sensitivity; Galactose; Macrophage
• ISSN: 0012-186X; 1432-0428
• DOI: 10.1007/s00125-013-2897-x

Aims/hypothesis
Low-grade systemic inflammation and adipose tissue inflammatory macrophages are frequently detected in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Whether inflammatory macrophages also increase in skeletal muscle of individuals with metabolic disorders remains controversial. Here, we assess whether macrophage polarisation markers in skeletal muscle of humans correlate with insulin sensitivity in obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Methods
Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from individuals of normal weight and with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), and overweight/obese individuals with or without type 2 diabetes. Insulin sensitivity was determined by euglycaemic–hyperinsulinaemic clamps. Expression of macrophage genes was analysed by quantitative RT-PCR.
Results
Gene expression of the inflammatory macrophage phenotype marker cluster of differentiation (CD)11c was higher in muscle of type 2 diabetes patients (
p
 = 0.0069), and correlated with HbA
1c
(
p
 = 0.0139,
ρ
 = 0.48) and fasting plasma glucose (
p
 = 0.0284,
ρ
 = 0.43), but not after correction for age. Expression of
TGFB1
, encoding the anti-inflammatory marker TGF-β1, correlated inversely with HbA
1c
(
p
 = 0.0095,
ρ
 = −0.50;
p
 = 0.0484,
ρ
 = −0.50) and fasting plasma glucose (
p
 = 0.0471,
ρ
 = −0.39;
p
 = 0.0374,
ρ
 = −0.52) in two cohorts, as did HbA
1c
with gene expression of macrophage galactose-binding lectin (MGL) (
p
 = 0.0425,
ρ
 = −0.51).
TGFB1
expression was higher in NGT individuals than in individuals with type 2 diabetes (
p
 = 0.0303), and correlated with low fasting plasma insulin (
p
 = 0.0310,
ρ
 = −0.42). In exercised overweight/obese individuals, expression of genes for three anti-inflammatory macrophage markers, MGL (
p
 = 0.0031,
ρ
 = 0.71), CD163 (
p
 = 0.0268,
ρ
 = 0.57) and mannose receptor (
p
 = 0.0125,
ρ
 = 0.63), correlated with high glucose-disposal rate.
Conclusions/interpretation
Muscle expression of macrophage genes reveals a link between inflammatory macrophage markers, age and high glycaemia, whereas anti-inflammatory markers correlate with low glycaemia and high glucose-disposal rate.