Fig. 3.

Parallels between sickness metabolism following infection and in the context of metabolic disease. Obesity has a broad, detrimental impact on systemic metabolism and greatly increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS). The immune system plays a role in the pathophysiology of most organs affected by MetS. The immune-mediated changes observed in the metabolically stressed organs are similar to those of some of the alterations observed after infection. This finding supports the hypothesis that metabolic disease is partially caused by a derailed immunological response against tissues in which metabolic stress is perceived as an infection. This dysregulated immune response leads to chronic metabolic changes normally associated with sickness metabolism. Made with biorender.com