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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Jun 25.
Published in final edited form as: J Leukoc Biol. 2020 Mar 14;108(1):123–128. doi: 10.1002/JLB.5MR0120-377R

Figure 1. Systemic effects of eosinophils on obesity may be mediated by local cell-cell interactions.

Figure 1.

Eosinophils are a major source of locally produced IL-4 in white adipose tissue. Eosinophils induce adipocyte precursor cells to develop into thermogenic, UCP1-expressing “beige” adipocytes. Systemically, beige adipocytes increase thermogenesis and metabolism. Eosinophils simultaneously inhibit expansion of white adipocytes, which consequently decreases inflammatory cytokines and fat mass. The expression of IL-4 also causes alternative activation of adipose tissue macrophages promoting anti-inflammatory Th2 cytokines and insulin sensitivity and inhibits classical activation of macrophages and inflammatory Th1 cytokines and insulin resistance.