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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 294/1/E52    most recent 00506.2007v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Natal, C. Articles by Varo, N. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Natal, C. Articles by Varo, N.

Cardiotrophin-1 is expressed in adipose tissue and upregulated in the metabolic syndrome

¹Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, and Departments of ²Clinical Chemistry, ³Department of Plastic Surgery, University Clinic of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, ⁴Internal Medicine, and ⁵Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery (JD), University Clinic of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

Submitted 3 August 2007 ; accepted in final form 9 October 2007

Adipose tissue is a target for cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a cytokine member of the IL-6 family of cytokines that is involved in cardiac growth and dysfunction. However, it is unknown whether adipocytes are a source of CT-1 and whether CT-1 is overexpressed in diseases characterized by increased fat depots [i.e., the metabolic syndrome (MS)]. Thus this work aimed 1) to test whether adipose tissue expresses CT-1 and whether CT-1 expression can be modulated and 2) to compare serum CT-1 levels in subjects with and without MS diagnosed by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Gene and protein expression of CT-1 was determined by real-time RT-PCR, ELISA, and Western blotting. CT-1 expression progressively increased, along with differentiation time from preadipocyte to mature adipocyte in 3T3-L1 cells. CT-1 expression was enhanced by glucose in a dose-dependent manner in these cells. mRNA and protein CT-1 expression was also demonstrated in human adipose biopsies. Immunostaining showed positive staining in adipocytes. Finally, increased CT-1 serum levels were observed in patients with MS compared with control subjects (127 ± 9 vs. 106 ± 4 ng/ml, P < 0.05). Circulating levels of CT-1 were associated with glucose levels (r = 0.2, P < 0.05). Taken together, our data suggest that adipose tissue can be recognized as a source of CT-1, which could account for the high circulating levels of CT-1 in patients with MS.

cytokines; obesity; diabetes