Curreli Mariaignazia, Recalchi Serena, Masi Davide, Rossetti Rebecca, Ernesti Ilaria, Camaiani Elisabetta, Basciani Sabrina, Gangitano Elena, Watanabe Mikiko, Mariani Stefania, Gnessi Lucio, Morrone Stefania, Lenzi Andrea, Petrangeli Elisa, Lubrano Carla
Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Pathophysiology, Food Science and Endocrinology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Nutrients. 2025 Jan 16;17(2):312. doi: 10.3390/nu17020312.
Obesity is closely linked to chronic low-grade inflammation and the development of cardio-metabolic comorbidities. Monocyte subsets, which are crucial in immune responses, have been reported to be altered in individuals with obesity, potentially exacerbating inflammation. Although very-low-calorie ketogenic diets (VLCKDs) are recognized for their efficacy in promoting weight loss and improving metabolic health, their impact on circulating monocyte subsets remains poorly understood. The objective of our study is to investigate the impact of VLCKDs on monocyte subset distribution in people with obesity. Thirty-six participants were divided into four groups-healthy controls, individuals with obesity and no dietary intervention, and individuals with obesity following either a low-calorie diet (LCD) or VLCKD for 28 days. Blood samples were analyzed to assess the distribution of classical monocytes (CMs), intermediate monocytes (IMs), and non-classical monocytes (NCMs) using flow cytometry. Individuals with obesity exhibited significant increases in IMs and NCMs, alongside a decrease in CMs compared to healthy controls. The VLCKD led to a notable shift in monocyte distribution, with increased CMs and reduced IMs and NCMs, restoring levels closer to those observed in healthy individuals. In contrast, the LCD group showed no significant changes in monocyte subsets. VLCKDs may exert anti-inflammatory effects by modulating monocyte subset distribution, offering potential therapeutic benefits in mitigating obesity-related inflammation. These preliminary findings suggest that VLCKDs could be an effective strategy for improving immune function in individuals with obesity.
肥胖与慢性低度炎症以及心血管代谢合并症的发展密切相关。单核细胞亚群在免疫反应中至关重要，据报道，肥胖个体的单核细胞亚群会发生改变，这可能会加剧炎症。尽管极低热量生酮饮食（VLCKD）因其在促进体重减轻和改善代谢健康方面的功效而得到认可，但其对循环单核细胞亚群的影响仍知之甚少。我们研究的目的是调查VLCKD对肥胖人群单核细胞亚群分布的影响。36名参与者被分为四组：健康对照组、未进行饮食干预的肥胖个体、以及分别遵循低热量饮食（LCD）或VLCKD 28天的肥胖个体。使用流式细胞术分析血样，以评估经典单核细胞（CM）、中间单核细胞（IM）和非经典单核细胞（NCM）的分布。与健康对照组相比，肥胖个体的IM和NCM显著增加，而CM减少。VLCKD导致单核细胞分布发生显著变化，CM增加，IM和NCM减少，使其水平恢复到更接近健康个体的水平。相比之下，LCD组的单核细胞亚群没有显著变化。VLCKD可能通过调节单核细胞亚群分布发挥抗炎作用，在减轻肥胖相关炎症方面具有潜在的治疗益处。这些初步发现表明，VLCKD可能是改善肥胖个体免疫功能的有效策略。
