title: Association between interleukin-15 and obesity: interleukin-15 as a potential regulator of fat mass.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  IL-15 decreases lipid deposition in preadipocytes and decreases the mass of white adipose tissue in rats, indicating that IL-15 may take part in regulating this tissue. IL-15 is expressed in human skeletal muscle and skeletal muscle may be a source of plasma IL-15 and in this way regulate adipose tissue mass.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relation between skeletal muscle IL-15 mRNA expression, plasma IL-15, and adipose tissue mass was studied in 199 humans divided into four groups on the basis of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, using a DNA electrotransfer model, we assessed the effect of IL-15 overexpression in skeletal muscle of mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In humans, multiple regression analysis showed a negative association between plasma IL-15 and total fat mass (P<0.05), trunk fat mass (P<0.01), and percent fat mass (P<0.05), independent of type 2 diabetes. Negative associations were also found between muscle IL-15 mRNA and obesity parameters. IL-15 overexpression in skeletal muscle of mice reduced trunk fat mass but not sc fat mass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that IL-15 may be a regulator of trunk fat mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases Rigshospitalet, Centre of Inflammation and Metabolism, University of Copenhagen, Section 7641, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. rinnov@gmail.com
authors.forename: Anders Rinnov
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hojman
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erikstrup
authors.forename: Christian Philip
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Plomgaard
authors.forename: Remi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mounier
authors.forename: Ole Hartvig
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Mortensen
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Broholm
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taudorf
authors.forename: Rikke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krogh-Madsen
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindegaard
authors.forename: Anne Marie Winther
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gehl
authors.forename: Bente Klarlund
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Pedersen
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D019409:Interleukin-15; D012333:RNA, Messenger