Obesity-associated macrophages dictate adipose stem cell ferroptosis and visceral fat dysfunction by propagating mitochondrial fragmentation

Yan Tao, Jinhao Zang, Tianci Wang, Peixuan Song, Zixin Zhou, Huijie Li, Yalin Wang, Yiyang Liu, Haipeng Jie, Mei Kuang, Hui Zhao, Fuwu Wang, Shen Dai, Chun Guo, Faliang Zhu, Haiting Mao, Fengming Liu, Lining Zhang and Qun Wang ()
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Yan Tao: Shandong University
Jinhao Zang: Shandong University
Tianci Wang: Shandong University
Peixuan Song: Columbia University
Zixin Zhou: Shandong University
Huijie Li: Shandong University
Yalin Wang: Shandong University
Yiyang Liu: Shandong University
Haipeng Jie: Shandong University
Mei Kuang: Shandong University
Hui Zhao: Shandong University
Fuwu Wang: Shandong University
Shen Dai: Shandong University
Chun Guo: Shandong University
Faliang Zhu: Shandong University
Haiting Mao: Shandong University
Fengming Liu: Shandong University
Lining Zhang: Shandong University
Qun Wang: Shandong University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Abstract Morbid obesity induces adipose stem cell (ASC) shortage that impairs visceral adipose tissue (VAT) homeostasis. Macrophages cooperate with ASCs to regulate VAT metabolism, their impact on ASC shortage remains elusive. TNF-α-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) is an important regulator in immune cells, its expression in VAT macrophages and function in macrophage-ASC crosstalk are largely unknown. Here, TIPE2 loss in VAT macrophages promotes ASC ferroptosis to aggravate diet-induced obesity and metabolic disorders in male mice, which can be corrected by macrophage-specific TIPE2 restoration in VAT. Mechanistically, TIPE2-deficient macrophages propagate mitochondrial fragmentation and reduce delivery of exosomal ferritin toward ASCs, resulting in mitochondrial ROS and Fe2+ overload that dictates ASC ferroptosis. TIPE2 interacts with IP3R to constrain IP3R-Ca2+-Drp1 axis, thereby preventing excessive mitochondrial fission and enabling macrophages to protect against ASC ferroptosis. This study reveals distinct obesity-associated macrophages that dictate ASC ferroptosis, and proposes macrophage TIPE2 as therapeutic target for obesity-related diseases.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62690-1

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