title: Role of interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor-beta in anorexia nervosa.
abstract: Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder characterized by extreme weight loss and abnormalities of the neuroendocrine and immune systems. To determine the potential role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in anorexia nervosa, serum concentrations of these cytokines were measured in patients with anorexia nervosa during starvation and after weight gain. Serum IL-6 and TGF-beta concentrations were both significantly elevated during starvation and returned to levels comparable to those of normal-weight controls by the end of therapy. In contrast, serum TNF-alpha levels were undetectable in all patients and controls. Cytokines may play previously unsuspected roles in anorexia nervosa and its complications.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pomeroy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eiken
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mentink
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha