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Fig. 2 | Journal of Neuroinflammation

Fig. 2

From: Perivascular macrophages in high-fat diet-induced hypothalamic inflammation

Fig. 2

PVMs are involved in the increased iNOS and VEGF synthesis, lipid influx, and changes in glucose uptake in the hypothalamus of mice fed a high-fat diet. The hypothalamic inflammatory response under a high-fat feeding comprehends several processes, which depend on glial and non-glial cells interactions, and results in increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, ROS and NO production and angiogenesis. PVMs are distributed in the perivascular spaces from BBB throughout the hypothalamic parenchyma and wrapping fenestrated capillaries in the ME. Their anatomical distribution allows them to play a critical role in immune defence. PVMs increase the expression of iNOS and VEGF upon a long-term feeding on a HFD, resulting in increased free fatty acids (FFAs) influx into the hypothalamic parenchyma. HPA activation is observed in mice after inflammatory stimuli, such as the ones caused by LPS and IL1-β injection. This neuroendocrine modulation depends on PVMs and endothelial cells, however whether a HFD can result in the same adaptive response remains unexplored

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