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Insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation induced by a high-fat diet are attenuated in the absence of hepcidin

  • Jithu Varghese James
    ,
  • Joe Varghese
    ,
  • Nikhitha Mariya John
    ,
  • Jean Christophe Deschemin
    ,
  • Sophie Vaulont
    ,
  • Andrew Tristan McKie
  • School of Life Sciences
    ,
  • King's College London
    ,
  • Christian Medical College
    ,
  • Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex
    ,
  • Institut Cochin
    ,
  • University College London
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well

Abstract

Increased body iron stores and inflammation in adipose tissue have been implicated in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the underlying basis of these associations is unclear. To attempt to investigate this, we studied the development of IR and associated inflammation in adipose tissue in the presence of increased body iron stores. Male hepcidin knock-out (Hamp1−/−) mice, which have increased body iron stores, and wild-type (WT) mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 and 24 weeks. Development of IR and metabolic parameters linked to this, insulin signaling in various tissues, and inflammation and iron-related parameters in visceral adipose tissue were studied in these animals. HFD-feeding resulted in impaired glucose tolerance in both genotypes of mice. In response to the HFD for 24 weeks, Hamp1−/− mice gained less body weight and developed less systemic IR than corresponding WT mice. This was associated with less lipid accumulation in the liver and decreased inflammation and lipolysis in the adipose tissue in the knock-out mice, than in the WT animals. Fewer macrophages infiltrated the adipose tissue in the knockout mice than in wild-type mice, with these macrophages exhibiting a predominantly anti-inflammatory (M2-like) phenotype and indirect evidence of a possible lowered intracellular iron content. The absence of hepcidin was thus associated with attenuated inflammation in the adipose tissue and increased whole-body insulin sensitivity, suggesting a role for it in these processes.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Article number

109175

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (Volume 111)

Publication milestones

  • Accepted/In press - 17/08/2022
  • Published - 09/10/2022

Publication status

Published - 09/10/2022

ISSN

0955-2863

External Publication IDs

  • ORCID: /0000-0002-3494-1808/work/124242640
  • Scopus: 85141345556
  • PubMed: 36223834

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