Interleukin-1beta and tumour necrosis factor-alpha impede neutral lipid turnover in macrophage-derived foam cells
2008

How IL-1beta and TNF-alpha Affect Lipid Turnover in Macrophages

Sample size: 6 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Jenny Persson, Jan Nilsson, Marie W Lindholm

Primary Institution: Lund University, Sweden

Hypothesis

Do IL-1β and TNF-α affect lipid turnover in macrophage foam cells?

Conclusion

IL-1β and TNF-α enhance macrophage foam cell formation by inhibiting lipid breakdown.

Supporting Evidence

  • Cytokine treatment resulted in higher levels of intracellular lipids in a dose-dependent manner.
  • Both IL-1β and TNF-α inhibited lipid utilization in macrophages.
  • Cytokines suppressed lipid turnover in macrophage foam cells.

Takeaway

When certain proteins called cytokines are present, fat cells in the body called macrophages have a harder time using up their stored fats, which can lead to health problems.

Methodology

Primary human macrophages or THP-1 cells were lipid loaded and then treated with IL-1β or TNF-α to assess lipid turnover.

Limitations

Cytokine concentrations used in experiments were higher than typically found in vivo.

Participant Demographics

Primary human macrophages and THP-1 cells were used in the study.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2172-9-70

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