title: Decreased splenic mRNA expression levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in diet-induced obese animals.
abstract: Obesity could be considered as a systemic low-grade inflammatory condition affecting inflammation markers. Adipose tissue synthesizes cytokines whose degree of elevation may depend on the obesity status. Recently, new information is collected on the cross-talking between immune system and adipose tissue in obesity. We report hereby that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) gene expression in spleen of diet-induced obese animals were markedly decreased (more than 50%) as a consequence of the high fat feeding during five weeks. Interestingly, a very significant negative correlation was found between splenic TNF-alpha mRNA levels and total fat pads (r = -0.806, p = 0.000). These findings support the hypothesis that TNF-alpha gene expression may follow different trends in obese animals adipocytes and splenocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Nutrition, University of Navarra, C/ Irunlarrea, 1, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lamas
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marti
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D007107:Immune System / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013154:Spleen / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha