JNK Expression by Macrophages Promotes Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance and Inflammation

Abstract

Macrophage JNK in Metabolic Disease Inflammation is thought to be an important driver of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. Proinflammatory, M1 phenotype macrophages and the c-jun NH 2 terminal kinases (JNK) are central players in this process. But whether JNK expression is specifically required inside macrophages is unclear. In mice containing a macrophage-specific deletion in both Jnk1 and Jnk2 , Han et al. (p. 218 , published online 6 December; see the Perspective by Ferrante Jr. ) found that the mice were protected against many of the diet-induced metabolic changes, including insulin resistance, despite similar weight gain as control mice on a high-fat diet. This protection was associated with a decrease in the presence of M1 macrophages in adipose tissue.