Association between interleukin-15 and obesity: interleukin-15 as a potential regulator of fat mass

AR Nielsen, P Hojman, C Erikstrup… - The Journal of …, 2008 - academic.oup.com
AR Nielsen, P Hojman, C Erikstrup, CP Fischer, P Plomgaard, R Mounier, OH Mortensen
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2008academic.oup.com
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. Design: 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 …
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.
Design: 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.
Oxford University Press