Nature: Sex-specific adipose tissue imprinting of regulatory T cells (2020)

[Ravn]

Note: mice.

Vasanthakumar, A., Chisanga, D., Blume, J. et al. Sex-specific adipose tissue imprinting of regulatory T cells. Nature (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2040-3
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2040-3 (paywalled)

Abstract
Adipose tissue is an energy store and a dynamic endocrine organ1,2. In particular, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is critical for the regulation of systemic metabolism3,4. Impaired VAT function—for example, in obesity—is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes5,6. Regulatory T (Treg) cells that express the transcription factor FOXP3 are critical for limiting immune responses and suppressing tissue inflammation, including in the VAT7,8,9. Here we uncover pronounced sexual dimorphism in Treg cells in the VAT. Male VAT was enriched for Treg cells compared with female VAT, and Treg cells from male VAT were markedly different from their female counterparts in phenotype, transcriptional landscape and chromatin accessibility. Heightened inflammation in the male VAT facilitated the recruitment of Treg cells via the CCL2–CCR2 axis. Androgen regulated the differentiation of a unique IL-33-producing stromal cell population specific to the male VAT, which paralleled the local expansion of Treg cells. Sex hormones also regulated VAT inflammation, which shaped the transcriptional landscape of VAT-resident Treg cells in a BLIMP1 transcription factor-dependent manner. Overall, we find that sex-specific differences in Treg cells from VAT are determined by the tissue niche in a sex-hormone-dependent manner to limit adipose tissue inflammation.

Article about paper: Sex-specific traits of the immune system explain men's susceptibility to obesity (February 26, 2020)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200226131305.htm

Summary:
Researchers have uncovered important differences between the male and female immune system which may explain why men are more susceptible to obesity and metabolism-related associated diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It has long been known that men are more likely than women to develop unhealthy obesity and related metabolic diseases, while women are more prone to certain autoimmune diseases such as arthritis. These findings suggested the male and female immune systems differ, but until now scientists weren't sure how.