title: Journey from cachexia to obesity by TNF.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a cytokine involved in the physiological and metabolic abnormalities found in cachectic states. Until very recently, it was inconceivable to think of TNF-alpha in obesity. However, recent studies have shown that TNF-alpha can also play a key role in obesity, the cytokine being overexpressed in adipose tissue of obese rodents and humans. The aim of this review is to reconcile the role of TNF-alpha in these two opposite metabolic situations: obesity and cachexia. It is suggested that TNF-alpha may have a key role in the control of body mass in normal weight-controlled situations and that abnormalities in either its production (during cachexia) or action (during obesity) are responsible for the lack of control of body weight.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Argilés
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López-Soriano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Busquets
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: López-Soriano
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D002100:Cachexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000266:history / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha