Therapeutic Targets to Reduce the Contribution of Pulmonary Neutrophilic Inflammation Towards Obesity-associated Co-morbidities: a Mini-review

Epidemiology and experimental models have shown a close link between adipose tissue inflammation, systemic inflammation and pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation, which predispose obese patients to pulmonary diseases, obesity-associated co-morbidities and cancer. Increased content and activation of neutrophils in the lung microvasculature, resulting from peripheral activation of neutrophils, and increased adhesion of neutrophils to the lung microvasculature are important factors explaining the increased susceptibility of obese patients towards respiratory diseases and loss of insulin sensitivity. Mechanism-based therapies to break this link are urgently needed to reduce pulmonary damage in obesity, due to the growing prevalence of obesity world-wide. Current research suggests that these approaches should be focused on, one or more of the following: reduction of macrophage activation at the adipose tissue, healthy growing of adipose tissue by induction of Nrf-2, inhibition of NF-κB activation, reduction of circulating neutrophil activation, blocking adhesins/selectins, inhibition of neutrophil activation by targeting NADPH oxidase-2 activation, inhibition of myeloperoxidase activity and scavenging of hypochlorous acid. These strategies are expected to reduce adipose tissue inflammation, peripheral inflammation, pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation and obesity-associated co-morbidities.