Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 is thus a therapeutic target, and may represent an important factor linking adipose tissue inflammation, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The results suggest that HHV-8-induced MCP-1 may play an important role in promoting inflammation and pathogenic angiogenesis typical of HHV-8-associated lesions.
Therefore, MCP-1 may represent a molecular link in the negative cross-talk between adipose tissue and skeletal muscle assigning a completely novel important role to MCP-1 besides inflammation.
Inheritance of the -2518 MCP-1 G allele, which appears to affect hepatic MCP-1 expression, may predispose HCV patients to more severe hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.