قسم الطاقة الحيوية وعلوم الأعصاب

Mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, provide energy for basic functions of different cell types in the body. When energy requirements fluctuate, mitochondria adapt to meet changing needs. In this work by Dr. Alzaid’s group at INSERM, Orliaguet et al discovered how mitochondrial structure is modified in specialized immune cells that promote inflammation and lead to the development of insulin resistance in obesity. A focus on the early stages of obesity showed that immune cells adapt their energetic processes before insulin resistance develops. This provides a new targetable mechanism early in the course of disease that may improve long-term outcomes. This work by Orliaguet et al was published online in Nature Communications in August 2022.

A state-of-the-art review was contributed to The FEBS Journal by Dr. Alzaid’s INSERM group. They discuss the roles of specialized immune cells known as macrophages in the normal function of the liver and in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a common comorbidity of obesity and type-2 diabetes. This review was published online in 2021 and featured on the cover of June 2022 issue of The FEBS Journal.

Inflammation forms a part of every human disease, including diabetes. Inflammation is caused by activation of specialized immune cells known as macrophages. In this work from Dr. Alzaid’s group at INSERM (Paris, France), Thibaut et al describe how the use of metabolic inhibitors can influence macrophage function. This work shows that metabolic inhibitors strongly influence macrophages and the pathways they control can form parts of novel therapeutic targets in diabetes and other inflammatory conditions.