The metabolic overload that occurs in people with excess weight could suppress the regulation of the immune system and induce inflammatory responses, increasing the risk of developing autoimmune diseases. These are the conclusions of the researchers of theUniversity of Naples Federico II and of the Institute for Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology, National Research Council (CNR-IEOS).
The scientific results were published in the journal “Science“.
In particular, the team, led by Giuseppe Matarese, evaluated the correlation between obesity and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. The researchers found that metabolic overload can suppress immunoregulation and at the same time induce inflammatory responses.
“Hypernutrition – write the scientists – it favors the chronic activation of both innate and adaptive immune cells, resulting in systemic inflammation, even if low-grade. These phenomena occur through the engagement of intracellular nutrient and energy sensing pathways”.
“Our studio – the authors comment – ssuggests that the association between obesity and autoimmunity depends in part on the fact that adipose tissue tends to increase autoinflammatory responses, but at the same time excess weight itself appears to have autoimmune characteristics”.
“In the next steps – conclude the scientists – it will be interesting to understand how individual nutrients, therefore lipids, carbohydrates and proteins, can influence immunological self-tolerance and the time window in which treatments for obesity-associated autoimmunity tend to be more efficient”.
Download and read the full text of the article:
The link between obesity and autoimmunity
Overnutrition could lead to loss of self-tolerance by impinging on immune regulation
GIUSEPPE MATARESE
SCIENCE 30 Mar 2023 Vol 379, Issue 6639 pp. 1298-1300
Sources: University of Naples Federico II – breaking latest news