title: Heat shock treatment with mild electrical stimulation safely reduced inflammatory markers in healthy male subjects.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Obesity induces chronic inflammation, which contributes to the development and progression of insulin resistance, diabetes and atherosclerosis. We have recently shown that induction of heat shock protein 72 by mild electric current and thermo (MET) treatment in mouse model of type 2 diabetes ameliorated glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance accompanied by reduced adiposity. For clinical application of MET, we confirmed its safety in healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  MET was applied for 10 healthy Japanese male (12 V, 55 pulses/s, 30 min at 42 °C) twice a week for 8 weeks. Fat volume was measured by CT scan and several parameters were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MET did not induce any adverse effects nor muscle contraction/pain. There were no significant alterations in glucose homeostasis or insulin resistance. Visceral and subcutaneous fat volume showed a trend of decrease without significant difference (-3.9% and -4.3%, respectively), which were restored 8 weeks after withdrawal of MET. Interestingly, serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α: 0.91 ± 0.05 pg/mL vs. 0.67 ± 0.06 pg/mL; p = 0.006) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP: 521.9 ± 73.9 ng/mL vs. 270.8 ± 43.7 ng/mL; p = 0.023) levels, both of which are associated with chronic inflammation, were significantly decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MET may be beneficial for the reduction of an inflammatory response observed in diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatemura
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuruzoe
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Motoshima
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Saori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morino Koga
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan. Electronic address:earaki@gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araki