Association of insulin sensitivity and adipose tissue macrophages

In obese adipose tissues, the number of inflammatory M1 macrophage is dramatically increased and the ratio of antiinflammatory M2 macrophage is reduced, resulting the decrease of insulin sensitivity and development of obesity complications. In this study, I found that telmisartan, an angiotensin II type I receptor blocker, improved insulin resistance with its PPARγactivity, by modulating M1/M2 macrophage ratio(Endocrinology, 152 : 1789-1799, 2011). I also found that obesity-induced hypoxia in adipose tissue is involved in M1 polarization of macrophages.