Knock-down of IL-1Ra in obese mice decreases liver inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity

Starch intake, amylase gene copy number variation, plasma proteins, and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality

BACKGROUND

Salivary amylase, encoded by the AMY1 gene, initiate the digestion of starch. Whether starch intake or AMY1 copy number is related to disease risk is currently rather unknown. The aim was to investigate the association between starch intake and AMY1 copy number and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality and whether there is an interaction. In addition, we aim to identify CVD-related plasma proteins associated with starch intake and AMY1 copy number.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study used data from 21,268 participants from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study. Dietary data were collected through a modified diet history method and incident CVD and mortality were ascertained through registers. AMY1 gene copy number was determined by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction, a risk score of 10 genetic variants in AMY1 was measured, and a total of 88 selected CVD-related proteins were measured. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze the associations of starch intake and AMY1 copy number with disease risk. Linear regression was used to identify plasma proteins associated with starch intake and AMY1 copy number.

RESULTS

Over a median of 23 years' follow-up, 4443 individuals developed CVD event and 8125 died. After adjusting for potential confounders, a U-shape association between starch intake and risk of CVD (P-nonlinearity = 0.001) and all-cause mortality (P-nonlinearity = 0.03) was observed. No significant association was found between AMY1 copy number and risk of CVD and mortality, and there were no interactions between starch intake and AMY1 copy number (P interaction > 0.23). Among the 88 plasma proteins, adrenomedullin, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein, fatty acid-binding protein, leptin, and C-C motif chemokine 20 were associated with starch intake after adjusting for multiple testing.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large prospective study among Swedish adults, a U-shaped association between starch intake and risk of CVD and all-cause mortality was found. Several plasma proteins were identified which might provide information on potential pathways for such association. AMY1 copy number was not associated with CVD risk or any of the plasma proteins, and there was no interaction between starch intake and AMY1 copy number on disease risk.

Interleukins in adipose tissue: Keeping the balance

The role of the immune system is to defend the host and preserve the functionality in response to stress. This function is not limited to infection or injury as it also plays a role in the response to overnutrition. Indeed, low-grade chronic activation of the immune system associated with overnutrition may be deleterious, contributing importantly to diabetes and long-term complications, such as cardiovascular disorders. Increasing evidence shows that adipose tissue participates in the obesity-related inflammatory response and that interleukins are one of the key players, either as a pro-inflammatory response to the metabolic dysregulation or to restore homeostasis. The crosstalk between adipocytes and immune cells through some important interleukins and their role in metabolic disruption is the topic of this review.

Serum Levels of IL-1 RA Increase with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Relation to Adipose Tissue Dysfunction and are Reduced After Bariatric Surgery in Parallel to Adiposity

Background

Excess adiposity leads to a dysfunctional adipose tissue that contributes to the development of obesity-associated comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes (T2D). Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) is a naturally occurring antagonist of the IL-1 receptor with anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the present study was to compare the circulating concentrations of IL-1RA and its mRNA expression in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in subjects with normal weight (NW), obesity with normoglycemia (OB-NG), or obesity with impaired glucose tolerance or T2D (OB-IGT&T2D) and to analyze the effect of changes in body fat percentage (BF%) on IL-1RA levels.

Methods

Serum concentrations of IL-1RA were measured in 156 volunteers. Expression of IL1RN mRNA in VAT obtained from 36 individuals was determined. In addition, the concentrations of IL-1RA were measured before and after weight gain as well as weight loss following a dietetic program or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

Results

Serum levels of IL-1RA were significantly increased in individuals with obesity, being further increased in the OB-IGT&T2D group (NW 440 ± 316, OB-NG 899 ± 562, OB-IGT&T2D 1265 ± 739 pg/mL; P<0.001) and associated with markers of inflammation and fatty liver. IL1RN mRNA expression in VAT was significantly increased in the OB-IGT&T2D group and correlated in the global cohort with the mRNA expression of SPP1, CCL2, CD68, and MMP9. Levels of IL-1RA were not modified after modest changes in BF%, but RYGB-induced weight loss significantly decreased IL-1RA concentrations from 1233 ± 1009 to 660 ± 538 pg/mL (P<0.001).

Conclusion

Serum IL-1RA concentrations are increased in patients with obesity being further elevated in obesity-associated IGT and T2D in association with markers of adipose tissue dysfunction. The mRNA expression of IL1RN is markedly increased in VAT of subjects with obesity and T2D in relation with genes involved in macrophage recruitment, inflammation and matrix remodeling. Serum IL-1RA concentrations are reduced when a notable amount of BF% is loss. Measurement of IL-1RA is an excellent biomarker of adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity-associated metabolic alterations.

REV-ERBα agonist SR9009 suppresses IL-1β production in macrophages through BMAL1-dependent inhibition of inflammasome

The circadian clock plays an important role in adapting organisms to the daily light/dark cycling environment. Recent research findings reveal the involvement of the circadian clock not only in physiological functions but also in regulating inflammatory responses under pathological situations. Previous studies showed that the time-of-day variance of leucocyte circulation and pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion could be directly regulated by the clock-related proteins, including BMAL1 and REV-ERBα in a 24-hour oscillation pattern. To investigate the molecular mechanism behind the regulation of inflammation by the core clock components, we focus on the inflammatory responses in macrophages. Using bone marrow-derived macrophages from wild type and myeloid selective BMAL1-knockout mice, we found that the production of inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-1β, was dependent on the timing of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation in macrophages. Pharmacological activation of REV-ERBα with SR9009 significantly suppressed the LPS-induced inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Particularly, the effect of SR9009 on inhibiting NLRP3-mediated IL-1β and IL-18 production in macrophages was dependent on BMAL1 expression. Further analysis of the metabolic activity in LPS-treated mice showed that knockout of BMAL1 in macrophages exacerbated the hypometabolic state and delayed the recovery from LPS-induced endotoxemia even in the presence of SR9009. These results demonstrated an anti-inflammatory role of REV-ERBα in endotoxin-induced inflammation, during which the secretion of IL-1β through the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway inhibited by SR9009 was regulated by BMAL1.

Interleukin-1 in obesity-related low-grade inflammation: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic strategies

Since adipose tissue (AT) can upregulate pro-inflammatory interleukins (ILs) via storing extra lipids in obesity, obesity is considered the leading cause of chronic low-grade inflammation. These ILs can pave the way for the infiltration of immune cells into the AT, ultimately resulting in low-grade inflammation and dysregulation of adipocytes. IL-1, which is divided into two subclasses, i.e., IL-1α and IL-1β, is a critical pro-inflammatory factor. In obesity, IL-1α and IL-1β can promote insulin resistance via impairing the function of adipocytes and promoting inflammation. The current study aims to review the detailed molecular mechanisms and the roles of IL-1α and IL-1β and their antagonist, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist(IL-1Ra), in developing obesity-related inflammatory complications, i.e., type II diabetes (T2D), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), atherosclerosis, and cognitive disorders. Besides, the current study discusses the recent advances in natural drugs, synthetic agents, and gene therapy approaches to treat obesity-related inflammatory complications via suppressing IL-1.

M2 macrophage immunotherapy abolishes glucose intolerance by increasing IL-10 expression and AKT activation

Aim: Glucose intolerance associates with M1/M2 macrophage unbalance. We thus wanted to examine the effect of M2 macrophage administration on mouse model of glucose intolerance. Materials & methods: C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks and then received thrice 20 mg/kg streptozotocin (HFD-GI). Bone marrow-derived stem cells were collected from donor mice and differentiated/activated into M2 macrophages for intraperitoneal administration into HFD-GI mice. Results: M2 macrophage treatment abolished glucose intolerance independently of obesity. M2 macrophage administration increased IL-10 in visceral adipose tissue and serum, but showed no effect on serum insulin. While nitric oxide synthase-2 and arginase-1 remained unaltered, M2 macrophage treatment restored AKT phosphorylation in visceral adipose tissue. Conclusion: M2 macrophage treatment abolishes glucose intolerance by increasing IL-10 and phosphorylated AKT.

Clomiphene promotes browning of white adipocytes via casein kinase-2 inhibition

Browning of white adipocytes is considered as a new strategy for the treatment of obesity and its related metabolic diseases. Based on the recent finding that casein kinase-2 (CK2) acts as a negative regulator of browning, new CK2 inhibitors were investigated as potential browning agents. This led to the identification of clomiphene as a candidate. Clomiphene was found to inhibit CK2 activity with an IC₅₀ of 2.39 μM. Accordingly, clomiphene increased mRNA and protein expression of browning markers, including uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes and in murine primary adipocytes. In agreement with the increased expression of browning markers, reduced lipid droplets, increased oxygen consumption rates, and mitochondrial biogenesis were detected after clomiphene treatment. Furthermore, phosphorylation of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 and 2, downstream mediators of CK2 actions, was decreased by clomiphene. On the other hand, CK2 overexpression diminished clomiphene-induced mitochondrial biogenesis as well as expression of browning markers, suggesting that clomiphene-induced browning is related to its inhibition of CK2. In vivo administration of clomiphene increased the mRNA expression of browning markers in various adipose tissues, accompanied by reduced fat weights and body weights in mice. In summary, these data suggested that clomiphene induced the browning of white adipocytes via CK2 inhibition, which may implicate it as a new anti-obesity drug.

The Beige Adipocyte as a Therapy for Metabolic Diseases

Adipose tissue is traditionally categorized into white and brown relating to their function and morphology. The classical white adipose tissue builds up energy in the form of triglycerides and is useful for preventing fatigue during periods of low caloric intake and the brown adipose tissue more energetically active, with a greater number of mitochondria and energy production in the form of heat. Since adult humans possess significant amounts of active brown fat depots and its mass inversely correlates with adiposity, brown fat might play an important role in human obesity and energy homeostasis. New evidence suggests two types of thermogenic adipocytes with distinct developmental and anatomical features: classical brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes. Beige adipocyte has recently attracted special interest because of its ability to dissipate energy and the possible ability to differentiate themselves from white adipocytes. The presence of brown and beige adipocyte in human adults has acquired attention as a possible therapeutic intervention for metabolic diseases. Importantly, adult human brown appears to be mainly composed of beige-like adipocytes, making this cell type an attractive therapeutic target for obesity and obesity-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2. Because many epigenetics changes can affect beige adipocyte differentiation from adipose progenitor cells, the knowledge of the circumstances that affect the development of beige adipocyte cells may be important to new pathways in the treatment of metabolic diseases. New molecules have emerged as possible therapeutic targets, which through the impulse to develop beige adipocytes can be useful for clinical studies. In this review will discuss some recent observations arising from the unique physiological capacity of these cells and their possible role as ways to treat obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2.

IL-1 receptor blockade skews inflammation towards Th2 in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis

The interleukin (IL)-1 family of cytokines is strongly associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and pulmonary involvement, but the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the role of IL-1α and IL-1β in pulmonary vascular and interstitial remodelling in a mouse model of SSc.IL-1α and IL-1β were localised in lungs of SSc patients and in the fos-related antigen-2 (Fra-2) transgenic (TG) mouse model of SSc. Lung function, haemodynamic parameters and pulmonary inflammation were measured in Fra-2 TG mice with or without 8 weeks of treatment with the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra (25 mg·kg-1·day-1). Direct effects of IL-1 on pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and parenchymal fibroblasts were investigated in vitroFra-2 TG mice exhibited increased collagen deposition in the lung, restrictive lung function and enhanced muscularisation of the vasculature with concomitant pulmonary hypertension reminiscent of the changes in SSc patients. Immunoreactivity of IL-1α and IL-1β was increased in Fra-2 TG mice and in patients with SSc. IL-1 stimulation reduced collagen expression in PASMCs and parenchymal fibroblasts via distinct signalling pathways. Blocking IL-1 signalling in Fra-2 TG worsened pulmonary fibrosis and restriction, enhanced T-helper cell type 2 (Th2) inflammation, and increased the number of pro-fibrotic, alternatively activated macrophages.Our data suggest that blocking IL-1 signalling as currently investigated in several clinical studies might aggravate pulmonary fibrosis in specific patient subsets due to Th2 skewing of immune responses and formation of alternatively activated pro-fibrogenic macrophages.

Interleukin-1α deficiency reduces adiposity, glucose intolerance and hepatic de-novo lipogenesis in diet-induced obese mice

OBJECTIVE

While extensive research revealed that interleukin (IL)-1β contributes to insulin resistance (IR) development, the role of IL-1α in obesity and IR was scarcely studied. Using control, whole body IL-1α knockout (KO) or myeloid-cell-specific IL-1α-deficient mice, we tested the hypothesis that IL-1α deficiency would protect against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and its metabolic consequences.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

To induce obesity and IR, control and IL-1α KO mice were given either chow or HFD for 16 weeks. Glucose tolerance test was performed at 10 and 15 weeks, representing early and progressive stages of glucose intolerance, respectively. Liver and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) samples were analyzed for general morphology and adipocyte size. Plasma levels of adiponectin, insulin, total cholesterol and triglyceride (TG), lipoprotein profile as well as hepatic lipids were analyzed. Expression of lipid and inflammation-related genes in liver and eWAT was analyzed. Primary mouse hepatocytes isolated from control mice were treated either with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (control) or 20 ng/mL recombinant IL-1α for 24 hours and subjected to gene expression analysis.

RESULTS

Although total body weight gain was similar, IL-1α KO mice showed reduced adiposity and were completely protected from HFD-induced glucose intolerance. In addition, plasma total cholesterol and TG levels were lower and HFD-induced accumulation of liver TGs was completely inhibited in IL-1α KO compared with control mice. Expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase1 (SCD1), fatty acid synthase (FASN), elongation of long-chain fatty acids family member 6 (ELOVL6), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), key enzymes that promote de-novo lipogenesis, was lower in livers of IL-1α KO mice. Treatment with recombinant IL-1α elevated the expression of ELOVL6 and FASN in mouse primary hepatocytes. Finally, mice with myeloid-cell-specific deletion of IL-1α did not show reduced adiposity and improved glucose tolerance.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate a novel role of IL-1α in promoting adiposity, obesity-induced glucose intolerance and liver TG accumulation and suggest that IL-1α blockade could be used for treatment of obesity and its metabolic consequences.

Cell- and tissue-specific epigenetic changes associated with chronic inflammation in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycaemia, which can cause micro- and macrovascular complications. Chronic inflammation may be the cause and result of T2DM, and its related complications as an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines can affect immune functions. Apart from genetic changes occurring within the body resulting in inflammation in T2DM, epigenetic modifications can modify gene expression in response to environmental cues such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and obesity. The most widely studied epigenetic modification, DNA methylation (DNAm), regulates gene expression and may manipulate inflammatory genes to increase or decrease inflammation associated with T2DM. This review explores the studies related to epigenetic changes, more specifically DNAm, associated with chronic inflammation in T2DM, at both the cell and tissue levels. Studying epigenetic alterations during inflammatory response, as a result of genetic and environmental signals, creates opportunities for the development of "early detection/relative risk" tests to aid in prevention of T2DM. Understanding inflammation in T2DM at the gene level in inflammation-associated cells and tissues may provide further insight for the development of specific therapeutic targets for the disorder.

Beneficial Effects of Korean Red Ginseng in the Progression of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis via FABP4 Modulation

Korean red ginseng (KRG) is a traditional herbal medicine used to prevent several geriatric diseases due to its therapeutic effects on metabolic disorder, including type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of KRG on the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice. NASH was induced by feeding a methionine- and choline-deficient high-fat or high-fat/high-sucrose diet for 6 or 13 weeks, respectively. Each diet group was also orally administered saline (group G0) or KRG extract (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day; groups G1, G2, and G4, respectively). KRG showed anti-inflammatory and antifibrogenic effects in the diet-induced NASH models. Furthermore, the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes were markedly decreased with KRG treatment in both diet-induced NASH groups. We next confirmed the expression levels of FABP4 in the liver and its ability to regulate inflammation and/or oxidative stress. We observed decreased levels of FABP4 mRNA and protein in the KRG-treated groups indicating that KRG affects the pathogenesis of NASH-related inflammatory responses by modulating FABP4 expression. Results of in vitro experiments showed similar patterns in cells treated with KRG, indicating that KRG treatment regulates the expression of FABP4 and subsequently reduces NASH related inflammation. Our findings suggest a novel role of KRG in NASH-related inflammatory responses via modulation of FABP4 expression in the liver. KRG may be a safe alternative therapy to prevent NASH progression.

A positive association between interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and insulin resistance in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine whether higher circulating interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was associated with insulin resistance in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

We measured IL-1Ra concentrations in 160 naturally postmenopausal women without a history of diabetes mellitus. A Pearson coefficient was computed to assess the relationship between plasma IL-1Ra and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The association between HOMA-IR and IL-1Ra plasma level above the median was assessed by logistic regression. Linear regression was used to explore the determinants of IL-1Ra plasma levels.

RESULTS

A significant positive correlation existed between IL-1Ra and HOMA-IR (r = 0.42, p < .0001). The upper-tertile group of HOMA-IR was associated with approximately 4.5-fold increased risk of plasma IL-1Ra level above the median compared with the low-tertile group after adjustments. When multiple correlates were entered into the regression model simultaneously, only Log HOMA-IR remained significantly related to Log IL-1Ra (p = .007).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated a positive association between plasma IL-1Ra and insulin resistance in postmenopausal women. This analysis suggested that insulin resistance was an important determinant of circulating IL-1Ra for these women.

Short (16-mer) locked nucleic acid splice-switching oligonucleotides restore dystrophin production in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy myotubes

Splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides (SSOs) offer great potential for RNA-targeting therapies, and two SSO drugs have been recently approved for treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Despite promising results, new developments are still needed for more efficient chemistries and delivery systems. Locked nucleic acid (LNA) is a chemically modified nucleic acid that presents several attractive properties, such as high melting temperature when bound to RNA, potent biological activity, high stability and low toxicity in vivo. Here, we designed a series of LNA-based SSOs complementary to two sequences of the human dystrophin exon 51 that are most evolutionary conserved and evaluated their ability to induce exon skipping upon transfection into myoblasts derived from a DMD patient. We show that 16-mers with 60% of LNA modification efficiently induce exon skipping and restore synthesis of a truncated dystrophin isoform that localizes to the plasma membrane of patient-derived myotubes differentiated in culture. In sum, this study underscores the value of short LNA-modified SSOs for therapeutic applications.

The role of dietary fat in obesity-induced insulin resistance

Consumption of excess calories results in obesity and insulin resistance and has been intensively studied in mice and humans. The objective of this study was to determine the specific contribution of dietary fat rather than total caloric intake to the development of obesity-associated insulin resistance. We used an intragastric feeding method to overfeed excess calories from a low-fat diet (and an isocalorically matched high-fat diet) through a surgically implanted gastric feeding tube to generate obesity in wild-type mice followed by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies to assess the development of insulin resistance. We show that overfeeding a low-fat diet results in levels of obesity similar to high-fat diet feeding in mice. However, despite a similar body weight, obese high-fat diet-fed mice are more insulin resistant than mice fed an isocaloric low-fat diet. Therefore, increased proportion of calories from dietary fat further potentiates insulin resistance in the obese state. Furthermore, crossover diet studies revealed that reduction in dietary fat composition improves glucose tolerance in obesity. In the context of the current obesity and diabetes epidemic, it is particularly important to fully understand the role of dietary macronutrients in the potentiation and amelioration of disease.

Plasma Levels of the Interleukin-1-Receptor Antagonist Are Lower in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Are Particularly Associated with Postpartum Development of Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. Women who develops hyperglycemia for the first time during pregnancy receive the diagnosis gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Presently, there is no consensus about the diagnostic criteria for GDM. A majority of these women subsequently develop postpartum overt diabetes making it important to identify these patients as early as possible. In this study we investigated if plasma levels of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), an endogenous inhibitor of IL-1 signaling, can be used as a complementary biomarker for diagnosing GDM and predicting postpartum development of overt diabetes mellitus. Patients participating in this study (n = 227) were diagnosed with their first GDM 2004–2013 at Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Healthy pregnant volunteers (n = 156) were recruited from women’s welfare centers in the same region 2014–2015. Levels of IL-1Ra and C-peptide were analyzed in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-plasma or serum using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). GDM patients had significantly lower levels of IL-1Ra than the control group (p = 0.012). In addition, GDM patients that had developed impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or type 2 diabetes mellitus postpartum had significantly lower levels of IL-1Ra, and significantly higher levels of C-peptide than GDM patients that had not developed diabetes mellitus postpartum (p = 0.023) and (p = 0.0011) respectively. An inverse correlation was found between IL-1Ra and serum C-peptide levels in the control group (r_s = -0.31 p = 0.0001). Our results show that IL-1Ra might be included in a future panel of biomarkers, both for diagnosing GDM to complement blood glucose, and also identifying GDM patients that are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus postpartum. However, the ROC curve analysis provided a sensitivity of 52.2% and specificity of 67.1%, which nonetheless may not be sufficient enough to use IL-1Ra as a sole biomarker.

Biology of Beige Adipocyte and Possible Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

All mammals own two main forms of fat. The classical white adipose tissue builds up energy in the form of triglycerides and is useful for preventing fatigue during periods of low caloric intake and the brown adipose tissue instead of inducing fat accumulation can produce energy as heat. Since adult humans possess significant amounts of active brown fat depots and their mass inversely correlates with adiposity, brown fat might play an important role in human obesity and energy homeostasis. New evidence suggests two types of thermogenic adipocytes with distinct developmental and anatomical features: classical brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes. Beige adipocyte has recently attracted special interest because of its ability to dissipate energy and the possible ability to differentiate itself from white adipocytes. Importantly, adult human brown adipocyte appears to be mainly composed of beige-like adipocytes, making this cell type an attractive therapeutic target for obesity and obesity-related diseases. Because many epigenetic changes can affect beige adipocyte differentiation, the knowledge of the circumstances that affect the development of beige adipocyte cells may be important for therapeutic strategies. In this review we discuss some recent observations arising from the great physiological capacity of these cells and their possible role as ways to treat obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2.

Plasma IL-1 receptor antagonist levels correlate with the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Aim: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a liver disease characterized by lipid accumulation and inflammation. Here, we aimed to evaluate plasma IL-1Ra as a marker for NASH and to determine whether diagnosis of NASH can be further improved by adding IL-1Ra measurements. Materials & methods: Therefore, plasma concentrations of IL-1Ra were measured from 146 subjects of a biopsy-proven NASH cohort with matched controls. Results: NASH patients had higher levels of plasma IL-1Ra compared with patients with steatosis or healthy controls. Conclusion: Our data confirm that IL-1Ra can be a useful tool in the diagnosis of hepatic inflammation and suggest that measuring plasma IL-1Ra levels in addition to ALT will improve the diagnosis for NASH at all stages of the disease.