Tumor necrosis factor-α induces apoptosis of human adipose cells

• Published in: Diabetes (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 46; no. 12; pp. 1939 - 1944
• Main Authors: PRINS, J. B, NIESLER, C. U, WINTERFORD, C. M, BRIGHT, N. A, SIDDLE, K, O'RAHILLY, S, WALKER, N. I, CAMERON, D. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Diabetes Association 01.12.1997
• Subjects: Acridine Orange; Adipocytes; Adipocytes - physiology; Adipocytes - ultrastructure; Annexin A5 - analysis; Apoptosis; Apud cells. Peptide and protein hormones. Growth factors; Biological and medical sciences; Cell death; Cells, Cultured; Coloring Agents; Culture Media, Serum-Free; Fat cells; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Microscopy, Electron; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Physiological aspects; Stem Cells - chemistry; Stem Cells - physiology; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - pharmacology; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Human; Adipocyte; Obesity; Cytokine; Nutrition disorder; Preadipocyte; In vitro; Nutritional status; Tumor necrosis factor α; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0012-1797; 1939-327X
• DOI: 10.2337/diab.46.12.1939

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production by adipocytes is elevated in obesity, as shown by increased adipose tissue TNF-alpha mRNA and protein levels and by increased circulating concentrations of the cytokine. Furthermore, TNF-alpha has distinct effects on adipose tissue including induction of insulin resistance, induction of leptin production, stimulation of lipolysis, suppression of lipogenesis, induction of adipocyte dedifferentiation, and impairment of preadipocyte differentiation in vitro. Taken together, these effects all tend to decrease adipocyte volume and number and suggest a role for TNF-alpha in limiting increase in fat mass. The aim of the present study was to determine if TNF-alpha could induce apoptosis in human adipose cells, hence delineating another mechanism by which the cytokine could act to limit the development of, or extent of, obesity. Cultured human preadipocytes and mature adipocytes in explant cultures were exposed in vitro to human TNF-alpha at varying concentrations for up to 24 h. Apoptosis was assessed using morphological (histology, nuclear morphology following acridine orange staining, electron microscopy) and biochemical (demonstration of internucleosomal DNA cleavage by gel electrophoresis and of annexin V staining using immunocytochemistry) criteria. In control cultures, apoptotic indexes were between 0 and 2.3% in all experiments. In the experimental systems, TNF-alpha induced apoptosis in both preadipocytes and adipocytes, with indexes between 5 and 25%. Therefore, TNF-alpha induces apoptosis of human preadipocytes and adipocytes in vitro. In view of the major metabolic role of TNF-alpha in human adipose tissue, and the knowledge that adipose tissue is dynamic (with cell acquisition via preadipocyte replication/differentiation and cell loss via apoptosis), these findings describe a further mechanism whereby adipose tissue mass may be modified by TNF-alpha.