Why does obesity cause inflammation and lead to heart disease?

Investigating the role of CD103 Dendritic cells in controlling adipose tissue inflammation

Dr Paula Longhi and her team at Queen Mary, University of London are studying why people who are obese are at higher risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. White blood cells can become inflamed and enter fat tissue as people become obese – this is an important driving factor for developing conditions such as insulin resistance, which can lead to having diabetes and heart disease. Dr Longhi has found that a type of white blood cell, called dendritic cells, are present in high numbers in fat tissue and are critical for keeping inflammation in check. She believes they do this by activating molecules called wnt/b-catenin, and that these molecules are repressed in obesity, allowing inflammation to occur. In this project, Dr Longhi wants to understand how the dendritic cells stop this inflammatory process and protect fat tissue from inflammation in both mice and humans. She will combine genetic and biochemical techniques to look at dendritic cells and study the inflammatory response in the fat, as well as insulin resistance. Ultimately, she wants to understand the role of dendritic cells in obesity and insulin resistance. Better understanding of the immune cells and pathways involved in obesity-induced inflammation and its complications may lead to the development of treatments that prevent inflammation in fat tissue.