Obesity induces metabolic and phenotypic variations in blood monocytes and NK cells.

Introduction : Obesity is recognized as low-grade inflammatory disease, favoring the development of metabolic diseases and cancers.
Methods : We investigated by flow cytometry obesity and glucose intolerance effects on monocytes and NK cells in lean and normo-glycemic or (pre)-diabetic obese patients.
Results : Monocytes present increased glucose uptake and higher GLUT1 expression in all obese patients. This glucose uptake increase is specifically seen in classical monocytes. In normo-glycemic obese compared to lean patients, CD56dim NK cells are decreased while expression of their activating receptors such as CD16, NKp30, NKG2D and NKp46 is not affected. However CD56high NK cells are increased with obesity and their receptors are differentially modulated according to BMI and glycemia.
Discussion : We are assessing monocytes and NK cells activity in different patients groups. We are also doing lipidomics on plasma and PBMC. These experiments will allow us to highlight new correlations between lipidomic, metabolic and immunologic parameters at both systemic and cellular levels.