Macrophage peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ as a therapeutic target to combat Type 2 diabetes

Abstract

The peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors and is the molecular target of antidiabetic thiazolidinediones that exert insulin sensitizing effects in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and the liver. In addition to the well described effects of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ in insulin target tissues, it is now apparent that its expression in macrophages is critical in the regulation of macrophage phenotype, whole body glucose metabolism and in mediating, in part, the antidiabetic actions of thiazolidinediones. As macrophages are major contributors to tissue inflammation and are resident in tissues responsible for maintaining glucose homeostasis, the therapeutic potential of these cells in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes is of significant clinical interest.

Keywords::

• inflammation
• macrophage
• thiazolidinediones
• Type 2 diabetes

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our collaborators in the field of nuclear receptor biology. Special thanks and appreciation to Jerrold Olefsky, Christopher Glass, Michael G Rosenfeld and Ronald Evans for their support, instruction and encouragement over the past decade. Without their generous support and guidance, the authors' work would not have been possible. Our apologies to those colleagues we were unable to cite due space limitations.

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