Article T cells with increased responsiveness cause obesity in mice without diet intervention

Gregersen, I.; Kong, X.Y.; Kooijman, S.; Foyn, H.; Grannes, H.; Olsen, M.B.; ... ; Halvorsen, B. (2024)

Article / Letter to editor

Obesity is a complex multicausal disease that can cause morbidity and mortality, and there is need for improved knowledge on the underlying mechanisms. Using a mouse model of increased T cell responsiveness, we show that development of obesity can be driven by immune cells. This was confirmed with bone marrow transplantation and adoptive T cell transfer to several recipient mouse models. Single-cell RNA sequencing and CyTOF analysis showed that the mice display altered composition of circulating T cells and increased T cell activation in visceral adipose tissue, suggesting activated T cells as critical players in the increased fat mass. In this study, we provide evidence that obesity can be driven by immune cell activity and in particular by T cells, which could have broad implications for prevention and treatment of this condition.

• All authors: Gregersen, I.; Kong, X.Y.; Kooijman, S.; Foyn, H.; Grannes, H.; Olsen, M.B.; Lone, A.M.; Yang, K.; Quiles-Jimenez, A.; Tran, M.; Ogaard, J.; Segers, F.M.; Rashidi, A.; Sagen, E.L.; Lauritzen, K.H.; Pronk, A.C.M.; Boer, J.F. de; Holven, K.B.; Melum, E.; Aukrust, P.; Taskén, K.; Holm, S.; Rensen, P.C.N.; Dahl, T.B.; Halvorsen, B.
• Date: 2024-04-19
• Journal: iScience
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 4
• DOI: doi:10.1016/j.isci.2024.109471