Hyperglycemia Drives an Activated, Lipid-Laden Nonclassical Monocyte Phenotype in Diabetes.

Although monocytes can accumulate lipids, whether diabetes alters monocyte lipid loading is unknown. Nonclassical monocytes accumulate more lipids via a process that is partly regulated by hyperglycemia in people with diabetes and in three different mouse models of diabetes. Increased lipid loading promotes a more activated monocyte phenotype. Nonclassical monocytes contribute to the accumulation of foamy kidney macrophages in a mouse model of diabetic kidney disease.