Effects of chronic exposure to fatty acid and inflammatory cytokines on dermal fibroblasts from subjects with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

This research project looked for quantifiable differences in metabolism between control, relatives of diabetics and type 1 diabetic fibroblasts when exposed to the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β We focused on changes in oxygen consumption, lipolysis, reactive oxygen species production (ROS), and intracellular calcium. While no major changes to overall oxygen consumption were found, it was observed that the oxygen consumption without ATP production significantly decreased in diabetic fibroblasts when incubated with TNF-α as well as increased ROS production and lipolysis. Chronic exposure to oleic acid caused significant increases in lipid accumulation in diabetic fibroblasts. Our initial findings have allowed us to outline a mechanism in which a type 1 diabetic phenotype alters fibroblast metabolism and promotes altered wound healing.