Role of macrophages in exercise-induced enhancement of insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle

Abstract

Macrophage-induced inflammation is an important pathophysiological mechanism of insulin resistance, especially in adipose tissue. It has been demonstrated that exercise has anti-inflammatory effects and enhances insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscles, however, the causal relationship between these two changes is not fully understood. Recently, several reports demonstrated that alternatively-activated, anti-inflammatory macrophages (called M2 macrophages) maintain normal insulin sensitivity in the liver and skeletal muscles. These data suggest that M2 macrophages could be a positive regulator of insulin sensitivity. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the association of macrophages and insulin sensitivity, and discuss the possible role of M2 macrophages in mediating an exercise-induced increase in insulin sensitivity.

Keywords

• exercise
• insulin sensitivity
• m2 macrophage