Distinct macrophage populations upon physiological changes in adipose tissue [RNA-seq]

We report that obese fat tissue of mice contain multiple distinct populations of adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) with unique transcriptomes and chromatin landscapes. Mouse Ly6c ATMs express genes that are adipogenic, while CD9 ATMs express pro-inflammatory genes under the control of activating transcription factors. Adoptive transfer of Ly6c ATMs into lean mice activates gene programs typical of normal adipocyte physiology. By contrast, adoptive transfer of CD9 ATMs drives gene expression that is characteristic of obesity. Overall design: ATM populations were sort-purified from murine obese eWAT and subjected to RNA-seq analysis. BMDMs were generated and subjected to polarization protocols. eWAT was isolated from mice injected with sort-purified ATM populations.