Gene expression of myeloid lineage cells reveals a role for myeloid progenitor cells in mammary gland fibrosis in obesity

Obesity enhances macrophage recruitment in to mammary adipose tissue and increases fibrosis. We isolated monocytes/macrophages and myeloid progenitor cell populations from the mammary gland and queried gene expression of fibrosis related genes to assess the contribution of each population to fibrosis within the mammary gland. Mice were randomized to received either a low-fat diet or high-fat diet to induce obesity (n=3/group), and monocytes/macrophages and myeloid progenitor cells were isolated using FACS from the mammary glands of lean and obese mice to examine gene expression changes due to obesity.