Metabolic abnormalities such as dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, or insulin resistance and obesity play key roles in the induction and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The field of immunometabolism implies a bidirectional link between the immune system and metabolism, in which inflammation plays an essential role in the promotion of metabolic abnormalities (e.g., obesity and T2DM), and metabolic factors, in turn, regulate immune cell functions. Obesity as the main inducer of a systemic low-level inflammation is a main susceptibility factor for T2DM. Obesity-related immune cell infiltration, inflammation, and increased oxidative stress promote metabolic impairments in the insulin-sensitive tissues and finally, insulin resistance, organ failure, and premature aging occur. Hyperglycemia and the subsequent inflammation are the main causes of micro-and macroangiopathies in the circulatory system. They also promote the gut microbiota dysbiosis, increased intestinal permeability, and fatty liver disease. The impaired immune system together with metabolic imbalance also increases the susceptibility of patients to several pathogenic agents such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Thus, the need for a proper immunization protocol among such patients is granted. The focus of the current review is to explore metabolic and immunological abnormalities affecting several organs of T2DM patients and explain the mechanisms, whereby diabetic patients become more susceptible to infectious diseases.
Obesity is associated with chronic low‐grade inflammation of the adipose tissue (AT) that might develop into systemic inflammation, insulin resistance (IR) and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in severe obese rodents and humans. In the lean state, small normal adipocytes and AT macrophages interact with each other to maintain metabolic homeostasis but during obesity, enlarged adipocytes secrete inflammatory mediators and express immune receptors to recruit immune cells and aggravate the inflammation. The better understanding of the obesity‐related inflammatory milieu and the sequential events leading to IR could be helpful in designing new preventive and therapeutic strategies. The present review will discuss the cellular and molecular abnormalities participating in the pathogenesis of obesity in obese individuals as well as high‐fat diet (HFD)‐fed mice, a mouse model of obesity.
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