Oligopeptide-strategy of targeting at adipose tissue macrophages using ATS-9R/siCcl2 complex for ameliorating insulin resistance in GDM

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy-specific disease characterized by impaired glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Although diagnosis and clinical management have improved significantly, there are still areas where therapeutic approaches need further improvement. Recent evidence suggests that CCL2, a chemokine involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes, is closely related to GDM. However, the potential value for clinical therapeutic applications and the mechanism of CCL2 in adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) of GDM remain to be elucidated. Here, we found that CCL2 was enriched in macrophages of the visceral adipose tissue from GDM women and HFD-induced GDM mice. The combination of in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that Ccl2 silencing inhibited the inflammatory response of macrophage by blocking calcium transport between ER and mitochondria and reducing excessive ROS generation. Additionally, the ATS-9R/siCcl2 oligopeptide complex targeting adipose tissue was created. Under the delivery of ATS-9R peptide, Ccl2 siRNA is expressed in ATMs, which reduces inflammation in adipose tissue and, as a result, mitigates insulin resistance. All of these findings point to the possibility that the ATS-9R/siCcl2 complex, which targets adipose tissue, is able to reduce insulin resistance in GDM and the inflammatory response in macrophages. The ATS-9R/siCcl2 oligopeptide complex targeting adipose tissue seems to be a viable treatment for GDM pregnancies.

Keywords: Adipose tissue macrophages; CCL2; GDM; Inflammation; Insulin resistance; Targeted gene delivery.