HVEM-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet are protected from adipose tissue inflammation and glucose intolerance

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 585; no. 14; pp. 2285 - 2290
• Main Authors: Kim, Ha-Jung, Kim, Hong-Min, Kim, Chu-Sook, Jeong, Choon-Soo, Choi, Hye-Sun, Kawada, Teruo, Kim, Byung-Sam, Yu, Rina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 21.07.2011
• Subjects: Adipocytes - cytology; Adipocytes - metabolism; Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - physiopathology; Animals; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Cytokines - metabolism; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Glucose Intolerance; Inflammation; Inflammation - physiopathology; Insulin - metabolism; Insulin resistance; Insulin Resistance - physiology; Mice; Obesity; Obesity - physiopathology; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14 - deficiency; Obesity; Insulin resistance; Inflammation; Adipose tissue
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.05.057

► We examined the effect of HVEM deficiency on obesity-induced inflammation and complications. ► HVEM-deficient mice or wild type mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD). ► HFD-fed HVEM-deficient mice elicited a reduction in the number of macrophage/T cells infiltrated into adipose tissue. ► Proinflammatory cytokine levels were also decreased in the adipose tissue of HFD-fed HVEM. ► Glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity were markedly improved in the HFD-fed HVEM-deficient mice. HVEM is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily that plays a role in the development of various inflammatory diseases. In this study, we show that HVEM deficiency attenuates adipose tissue inflammatory responses and glucose intolerance in diet-induced obesity. Feeding a high-fat diet (HFD) to HVEM-deficient mice elicited a reduction in the number of macrophages and T cells infiltrated into adipose tissue. Proinflammatory cytokine levels in the adipose tissue decreased in HFD-fed HVEM-deficient mice, while levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 increased. Moreover, glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity were markedly improved in the HFD-fed HVEM-deficient mice. These findings indicate that HVEM may be a useful target for combating obesity-induced inflammatory responses and insulin resistance.