Interferon Triggers Adipocyte Immune Response

A recent study has identified the activation of fat cells, or adipocytes, by gamma interferon as a key step that regulates the involvement of these cells in the innate immune system.

Investigators at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN, USA) worked with pig adipocytes growing in tissue culture. They found that exposure to gamma interferon caused the adipocytes to produce and secrete interleukin-15, a cytokine that stimulates T-cell activity. Circulating levels of gamma interferon are increased by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Binding of LPS by adipocytes caused the cells to produce and secrete a different cytokine, interleukin-6. These findings were published in the December 4, 2003, issue of the American Journal of Physiology.

"Our research documents a pathway by which the adipocytes participate in the immune response,” explained senior author Dr. Michael Spurlock, professor of animal sciences at Purdue University. "We have very clearly shown that interferon-gamma is increasing expression of cytokines in pig fat cells. The fact that fat cells actually promote or secrete factors, such as the cytokine interleukin-6, may be fundamentally linked to insulin resistance in diabetes. This makes adipocytes very important cells.”




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