Figure 1.

T cell senescence during obesity. Obesity leads to the skewing of the T cell subset from naïve to memory phenotypes, accelerates thymic involution, and restricts TCR diversity. Obesity-induced reduction of thymic output leads to extensive homeostatic proliferation of peripheral T cells, which may contribute to T cell senescence. VAT T cells show a senescent phenotype, including telomere length shortening, restricted TCR diversity, and production of proinflammatory cytokines.