title: Cytokines and anorexia: a brief overview.
abstract: Cytokine immunotherapy with interferon-alpha, interleukin-1, interleukin-2, or tumor necrosis factor-alpha is consistently associated with anorexia and other neurologic and neuropsychiatric manifestations. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that cytokines induce anorexia when administered peripherally or into the brain. Cytokine-induced anorexia involves both peripheral and central nervous system mechanisms. Cytokines modulate gastrointestinal activities, cause metabolic changes, affect the endocrine system, and modulate the normal neurotransmitter/neuropeptide profile of the hypothalamus, all of which can influence eating behavior. The direct effects of interferon-alpha, interleukin-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha on glucose-sensitive neurons in two specific regions of the hypothalamus could cause profound changes in eating patterns in animals and humans. Cytokine immunotherapy also induces production of a large array of endogenous cytokines, which may act synergistically to cause anorexia, taste aversions, and other neuropsychiatric manifestations. A variety of approaches have been proposed for ameliorating cytokine-induced anorexia. These include dietary supplementation with specific fatty acids, megestrol acetate, and specific neuropeptides or peptide hormones that have the ability to modulate cytokine production or activity.
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark 19716-2590, USA.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Plata-Salamán
mesh_terms: D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects; D019290:Megestrol Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D019290:Megestrol Acetate