Fat cells active against bacteria and viruses

Fat cells against bacteria and viruses

03/01/2015

Fat cells are quickly associated with overweight and obesity or diabetes by many people. But US researchers have now found in an investigation that fat cells also play a significant role in the immune system.

In the service of the immune system

With fat cells, many people usually associate terms such as obesity, obesity or diabetes. But US researchers have uncovered a previously unknown role for fat cells. Like the scientists in the trade magazine „Science“ they are in the subcutaneous fat tissue in the service of the immune defense. The researchers came to this conclusion after experiments with mice, such as the portal „aponet.de“ reported.

„The largest organ of the human body“

When the skin is injured, bacteria and viruses can enter the body unhindered. Fat cells, also known as adipocytes, help as a rapid response force to ward off those pathogens that have overcome the protective barrier of the skin. This is reported by dermatologist Richard Gallo of the University of California at San Diego and his colleagues. „The skin, the largest organ of the human body, plays a crucial role as a barrier“ against the entry of pathogens into the tissue, write the study authors.

Fat cells produce germicidal protein

In animal studies in mice infected with the germ Staphylococcus aureus, both the number and size of fat cells increased in a few hours at the infected site. In addition, the fat cells produced large amounts of a germicidal protein, which is used in the innate immune defense for direct control of invading viruses, bacteria, fungi and other disease-causing organisms. According to Gallo, this has not been known before, let alone the fact that fat cells produce almost as much of it as certain white blood cells, the neutrophils.

Human immune defense works similar to that of mice

It also states that without sufficient adipocytes or without adequate amounts of the protein, more frequent and severe infections were found in the mice. The scientists were able to confirm in further tests that human adipocytes also produce the germicidal protein. „aponet.de“ this suggests that the human immune system works in a similar way to that of mice. „So far, it has been thought that the sole purpose of blood circulating white blood cells is to protect the body from sepsis once germs have overcome the skin barrier“, so Gallo.

Body needs faster resistance

However, it takes time for these blood cells to arrive on the spot. The body, however, needed a faster resistance, because many microbes are able to multiply extremely fast. As the specialist portal writes, epithelial cells, as well as mast cells and leukocytes, which are located at the site of the infection and, apparently, fat cells, are typically responsible for this. Already in the past, fat cells have been confirmed in studies a positive aspect. For example, it has been shown that brown fat cells can help you lose weight. The results of the current study and subsequent studies are now to clarify why obese people and patients with diabetes are particularly susceptible to bacterial infections. (Ad)