Journey from cachexia to obesity by TNF
Argilés, J.M.; López-Soriano, J.; Busquets, S.; López-Soriano, F.J.
FASEB Journal 11(10): 743-751
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0892-6638 PMID: 9271359 Document Number: 477937
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a cytokine involved in the physiological and metabolic abnormalities found in cachectic states. Until very recently, it was inconceivable to think of TNF-alpha in obesity. However, recent studies have shown that TNF-alpha can also play a key role in obesity, the cytokine being overexpressed in adipose tissue of obese rodents and humans. The aim of this review is to reconcile the role of TNF-alpha in these two opposite metabolic situations: obesity and cachexia. It is suggested that TNF-alpha may have a key role in the control of body mass in normal weight-controlled situations and that abnormalities in either its production (during cachexia) or action (during obesity) are responsible for the lack of control of body weight.