title: The effect of weight loss on serum concentrations of FAS and tumour necrosis factor alpha in obese women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apoptosis can influence both adipose tissue mass and its distribution. The suprafamily of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptors stimulate apoptosis. The aim of the study was to assess serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), TNF soluble receptors (sTNFRs) and FAS in obese subjects and to examine the changes in these parameters after weight loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 23 obese women without additional disease aged 36.6 +/- 10.9 years. These were examined before and after three-month weight reduction treatment consisting of a diet of 1000 kcal/day and physical exercise. The control group comprised 17 lean healthy women aged 40.3 +/- 5.5 years. Blood samples were taken in the morning after an overnight fast. Serum concentrations of TNF-alpha, sTNFRs and FAS were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum concentrations of insulin were measured by RIA. Serum concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were measured by an enzymatic procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean weight loss over the three-month treatment was 11.4 +/- 3.1 kg. Following weight loss, serum TNF-alpha concentrations decreased significantly (7.3 +/- 3.0 vs. 5.4 +/- 1.6 pg/ml; p < 0.005) and concentrations of sTNFRs increased significantly (1222.6 +/- 211.8 vs. 1325.6 +/- 261.6 pg/ml; p < 0.05 and 1881.5 +/- 337.2 vs. 2057.4 +/- 358.7 pg/ml; p < 0.05 respectively). However, no changes in serum concentrations of FAS were observed after weight loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed increased serum concentrations of TNF-alpha but not of FAS in obese women. The concentrations of TNF decreased and those of sTNFRs increased after weight loss. However, the weight reduction therapy did not change serum concentrations of FAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zahorska-Markiewicz
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olszanecka-Glinianowicz
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janowska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kocełak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019014:fas Receptor; D009569:Nitric Oxide