Kennedy A, Webb CD, Hill AA, Gruen ML, Jackson LG, Hasty AH. Loss of CCR5 results in glucose intolerance in diet-induced obese mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 305: E897-E906, 2013. First published August 13, 2013; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00177.2013.-Macrophage and T cell infiltration into metabolic tissues contributes to obesityassociated inflammation and insulin resistance (IR). C-C chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), expressed on macrophages and T cells, plays a critical role in the recruitment and activation of proinflammatory M1 and T H1 immune cells to tissues and is elevated in adipose tissue (AT) and liver of obese humans and mice. Thus, we hypothesized that deficiency of CCR5 would protect against diet-induced inflammation and IR. CCR5-deficient (CCR5 Ϫ/Ϫ ) mice and C57BL/6 (WT) controls were fed 10% low-fat (LF) or 60% high-fat (HF) diets for 16 wk. HF feeding increased adiposity, blood glucose, and plasma insulin levels equally in both genotypes.
Opposing our hypothesis, HF-fed CCR5Ϫ/Ϫ mice were significantly more glucose intolerant than WT mice. In AT, there was a significant reduction in the M1-associated gene CD11c, whereas M2 associated genes were not different between genotypes. In addition, HF feeding caused a twofold increase in CD4 ϩ T cells in the AT of CCR5Ϫ/Ϫ compared with WT mice. In liver and muscle, no differences in immune cell infiltration or inflammatory cytokine expression were detected. However, in AT and muscle, there was a mild reduction in insulin-induced phosphorylation of AKT and IR in CCR5 Ϫ/Ϫ compared with WT mice. These findings suggest that whereas CCR5 plays a minor role in regulating immune cell infiltration and inflammation in metabolic tissues, deficiency of CCR5 impairs systemic glucose tolerance as well as AT and muscle insulin signaling.