Regulation of tumour necrosis factor-alpha release from human adipose tissue in vitro

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), secreted by cells of the macrophage-monocyte lineage, has a well established role in inflammation and host-defence. The more recent discovery that adipocytes also secrete TNF-alpha has led to a substantial body of research implicating this molecule in the insulin resistance of obesity. However, little is known about the normal regulation of TNF-alpha release from human adipose tissue. In particular, it is not known whether adipocyte production of TNF-alpha is responsive to similar or different molecular regulators than those relevant to macrophages. TNF-alpha release from cultured human adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes was examined using an ELISA. Insulin, cortisol or the thiazolidinedione, BRL 49653, did not have a significant effect on TNF-alpha release from adipose tissue or isolated adipocytes. In contrast, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major stimulus of TNF-alpha protein production in monocytes and macrophages, resulted in a fivefold stimulation of TNF-alpha release from human adipose tissue. Significant stimulation of TNF-alpha release was also seen from isolated adipocytes, indicating that the increase in TNF-alpha release from adipose tissue in the presence of LPS is unlikely to be entirely attributable to contaminating monocytes or macrophages. Consistent with this observation was the finding that mRNA for CD14, a known cellular receptor for LPS, is expressed in human adipocytes. The increase in TNF-alpha protein release in response to LPS was blocked by an inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinase responsible for the cleavage of the membrane-bound proform of TNF-alpha, indicating that this release represented regulated secretion and was not due to cell lysis. In conclusion, the regulation of TNF-alpha protein release from human adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes appears to be similar to its regulation in cell types more traditionally implicated in host defence. The production by the adipocyte of a range of molecules involved in host defence-TNF-alpha, factors D, B and C3, interleukin-6, and macrophage colony-stimulating factor--suggest that this cell type may make a significant contribution to innate immunity.

A role for preadipocytes as macrophage-like cells

Several lines of evidence have supported a link betweeen adipose tissue and immunocompetent cells. This link is illustrated in obesity, where excess adiposity and impaired immune function have been described in both humans and genetically obese rodents. In addition, numerous factors involved in inflammatory response are secreted by both preadipocytes and macrophages. Here we show that proliferating preadipocytes in cell lines and primary cultures, develop phagocytic activity toward microorganisms. This is demonstrated by phagocytosis assays and confocal microscopy. This function disappears when preadipocytes stop proliferating and differentiate into adipocytes. After phagocytosis, preadipocytes show microbicide activity via an oxygen-dependent mechanism. In addition, preadipocytes as well as adipocytes are stained with MOMA-2, a marker of monocyte-macrophage lineage, but are negative for specific mature macrophage markers (F4/80 and Mac-1). These results suggest that preadipocytes could function as macrophage-like cells and raise the possibility of a potential direct involvement of adipose tissue in inflammatory processes.

Effects of antibodies to adipocytes on body weight, food intake, and adipose tissue cellularity in obese rats

Female Wistar rats were fed on a high fat diet for 18 weeks, during which their energy intake increased by 25% and body weight by 50% due to a doubling of adipose tissue tissue stores. Animals were then treated with increasing doses of a sheep polyclonal antiserum to rat adipocytes on days 1-4 and 7 after which they remained untreated for 14 weeks. Antibody treatment reduced body weight by 10% and the weight of parametrial and subcutaneous adipose tissue by 30-40%. This decrease was explicable entirely in terms of a decrease in the number of adipocytes presumably due to adipocyte lysis. These favourable changes in body fat mass were accompanied by improvement in at least one metabolic factor associated with obesity - serum leptin concentrations were significantly reduced in treated animals compared with high fat controls. Genetically obese Zucker rats also showed decreases in the number of adipocytes after treatment with antibodies but in contrast to diet-induced obese rats, they showed a compensatory increase in adipocyte volume which attenuated the effects on body fat mass. These results demonstrate for the first time, the potential to treat diet-induced obesity with antibodies to adipocytes by producing long-term reductions in the number of adipocytes, with minimal side-effects.

In vivo evidence for the involvement of the adipose tissue surrounding lymph nodes in immune responses

Spontaneous lipolysis in the adipocytes surrounding the popliteal lymph node rose within 1 h of its being activated with a subcutaneous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), reached a peak after 6-9 h, then declined almost to basal levels after 24 h. The response of adipocytes from elsewhere in the same depot was delayed and smaller. Following the simulated immune challenge, perinodal adipocytes were consistently more sensitive to noradrenalin at 10(-8) and 10(-7) M than those elsewhere in the same depot, but the maximum lipolysis, in the presence of 10(-5) M noradrenalin, was similar in all popliteal samples. These effects were increased by incubating adipose tissue explants for 24 h in tissue culture medium, suggesting autocrine amplification of the initial stimuli. Incubation with interleukin-4 (IL-4, 10 ng/ml) abolished the increase in lipolysis in samples around the activated lymph node and depressed it to below control values in other adipocytes. In vivo stimulation of the popliteal node increased maximum lipolysis in the presence of 10(-5) M noradrenalin in samples from around mesenteric lymph nodes and after 24 h incubation, in omental perinodal adipocytes. No effects of any pre-treatments were detected in perirenal adipocytes. We conclude that the adipocytes surrounding lymph nodes are actively involved in local, transient immune responses. Their participation may explain why most major lymph nodes are embedded in adipose tissue.

Cloning of cell-specific secreted and surface proteins by subtractive antibody screening

To identify and clone genes that encode cell- or tissue-specific secreted and surface proteins, a polyclonal antiserum was raised against a complex mixture of surface or secreted proteins from the target cell, followed by immunodepletion of antibodies that recognize proteins from a nontarget cell or tissue. The depleted antiserum is used to screen bacteriophage cDNA expression libraries. Because of our interest in how adipocytes communicate with other cells, we have used this method to clone cDNAs encoding secreted and plasma membrane proteins that are induced during adipocyte differentiation. We describe several of these, including a novel plasma membrane-associated protein, S3-12.

Dysregulation of insulin-like growth factors in a case of generalized acquired lipoatrophic diabetes mellitus (Lawrence Syndrome) connected with autoantibodies against adipocyte membranes

We report on a 33-year-old male patient with generalized acquired lipodystrophy, insulin resistant diabetes mellitus and acanthosis nigricans (Lawrence Syndrome). First probable symptoms of lipodystrophy (weight loss, shrinkage of subcutaneous fatty tissue, and loss of muscular strength) became evident three years ago, with the onset of diabetes mellitus occurring about six months later. The patient suffered from the following clinical symptoms: IDDM with increasing insulin-requirement, extreme reduction of fatty tissue, fatty liver hepatitis with elevated liver enzymes, glomerulopathy, muscular and neuropathic pains, as well as hypertriglyceridaemia. A basal C-peptide concentration is rather high. Definitely, the endogenous insulin secretion is increased. In other words, insulin resistance is documented. In an effort to identify the pathogenetic mechanisms of lipoatrophic diabetes mellitus in this patient and to develop a therapeutic strategy, antibodies against different tissues and endocrinologic regulation were investigated. It was possible to demonstrate the presence of serum autoantibodies against lipocytes of the subcutis and other tissues, against hepatic stellate cells, together with autoantibodies against different endocrine organs. By studying the basis of diabetic abnormalities relating to the growth hormone (GH), the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) dynamics in this patient, i.e. reductions of GH, IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF-Binding protein (IGF-BP) 2 and IGF-BP 3, were detected. An immunosuppressive treatment strategy was not beneficial.

An anti-adipocyte monoclonal antibody is cytotoxic to porcine preadipocytes in vitro and depresses the development of pig adipose tissue

A mouse monoclonal antibody of the IgG2b subclass was raised against porcine adipocyte plasma membranes. This antibody did not cross-react in immunocytofluorescence with any tested cell-type or tissue other than porcine adipocytes. Complement-mediated cytotoxicity was demonstrated in primary cultures of porcine stromal-vascular cells. When the antibody and complement were added to already differentiated cultures, the treatment resulted in elimination of lipid-filled preadipocytes, whereas an early treatment of cultures prevented the appearance of these cells. In vivo, injection of newborn pigs with 1 mg/kg of monoclonal antibody on d 2 and 5 of life produced a more than 20% reduction of subcutaneous and leaf fat lipids at 35 d of age, whereas the lipid content of the longissimus muscle remained unaffected. These results demonstrate that early systemic treatment of pigs with a specific anti-adipocyte antibody reduces the fat mass. In addition to their potential in vivo use, monoclonal antibodies directed against adipose determinants may be useful tools for studying adipocyte lineage.

Insulin stimulation of human adipocytes activates the kinase of only a fraction of the insulin receptors

The degree of insulin receptor kinase activation by in situ stimulation was studied in isolated human adipocytes. Although maximal in situ stimulation increased the kinase activity approximately 10-fold, this activity could again be doubled by subsequent activation in a cell-free system. To investigate how in situ stimulation resulted in incomplete activation, receptors binding or not binding to anti-phosphotyrosine antibody (alpha-PY) were studied separately. Even after maximal insulin stimulation of the cells, approximately 50% of the receptors did not bind to alpha-PY and had low kinase activity. In the cell-free system, however, these receptors reached activity levels similar to the other receptors, suggesting that they were intact and that factors in their cellular environment had prevented their activation. The activity of the alpha-PY-binding receptors could only be slightly increased in the cell-free system, suggesting that almost complete activation had been attained in situ. In situ stimulation with increasing insulin concentrations increased the number of activated receptors rather than their individual activity. We conclude that factors in the in situ environment prevent insulin activation of approximately 50% of the insulin receptors in human adipocytes and might therefore be important regulators of insulin signaling.

Expression and function of integrin receptors for collagen and laminin in cultured human hepatic stellate cells

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), liver-specific pericytes, are currently considered major producers of extracellular matrix (ECM) components and key elements in the development of liver fibrogenesis. However, little is known about the possible functional interactions between HSCs and the various ECM components. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the expression of integrins, the major family of extracellular matrix receptors.

METHODS

Integrin expression was evaluated by immunoprecipitation and confirmed by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Human HSCs were shown to express alpha1beta1, alpha2beta1, alpha(v)beta1. Adhesion to type IV collagen, type I collagen, fibronectin, and laminin 1 was inhibited by anti-beta1 antibody identifying beta1-containing integrins as possible receptors for these components. In addition, we showed that HSCs express alpha6beta4, a heterodimer known to mediate adhesion of epithelial cells to laminin and not previously characterized in mesenchymal cells. Adhesion to laminin 1 was not inhibited by antibodies specific for alpha6 or beta4, thus establishing that laminin 1 is not a ligand for alpha6beta4 in this cell type.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings represent the first description of integrin receptors in HSC and provide an attempt to cover the gap of information in the field of HSC-ECM interactions.

Monoclonal antibody-mediated cytotoxicity of adipocytes

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against porcine adipocyte plasma membranes were used to demonstrate complement-mediated cytotoxicity of adipocytes and preadipocytes in primary stromal-vascular (SV) cultures. Five of the six MAbs tested significantly reduced the number of fat cell clusters in cultures maintained in medium supplemented with pig serum and dexamethasone (PS/DEX) but not in cultures supplemented with insulin, transferrin, and selenium (ITS). Neither MAb nor complement alone affected fat cell cluster number. Treatment of both ITS and PS/DEX cultures with pools of 2 or more MAbs, in combination with complement, eliminated fat cell clusters in all instances. Treatment of cultures prior to appearance of cells containing lipid demonstrated that preadipocytes, or adipose lineage cells, could also be eliminated by MAb/complement treatment. Finally, injection of young rats with a pool of three of the MAbs produced a 30% reduction in inguinal fat pad weight without affecting other tissues. Adipocyte/preadipocyte-depleted cultures can now be used as a model system to examine progression of cells through the adipose cell lineage at a time not previously possible with primary cells.

Cytokines induce catabolic effects in cultured adipocytes by multiple mechanisms

Previous studies have demonstrated that some cytokines induce a coordinate catabolic response in adipose cells which leads to decreased fat storage. The mechanisms by which cytokines cause these effects are unknown. The primary purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of TNF, IL-1, IFN-alpha and IFN-alpha on the mRNA levels of the key enzymes involved in fat metabolism in 3T3-F442A adipocytes. TNF, IL-1, IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma decreased lipoprotein lipase activity and increased lipolysis in adipocytes. TNF, IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma decreased fatty acid synthesis while IL-1 increased fatty acid synthesis. However, the cytokine effects on mRNA levels were not always consistent with the observed changes in activity and were unique for each cytokine. Specifically, while all cytokines decreased LPL activity, only TNF and IFN-gamma decreased LPL mRNA levels. In addition, while TNF, IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma decreased fatty acid synthesis, only TNF significantly decreased the mRNA levels of both acetyl CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase, the key enzymes in fatty acid synthesis. IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma decreased fatty acid synthase mRNA levels without significantly altering acetyl CoA carboxylase mRNA. IL-1 caused a slight increase in fatty acid synthesis and increased acetyl CoA carboxylase mRNA levels. Finally, while all cytokines increased lipolysis, hormone sensitive lipase mRNA levels were decreased by TNF, IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma treatment. These results indicate that the regulation of adipocyte lipid metabolism by cytokines is complex and that coordinate changes in mRNA levels cannot account for the observed metabolic changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Flow cytometric analysis of porcine preadipocyte replication

In the present study, a technique is described for measuring proliferation of primary porcine preadipocytes. Cultures of stromal-vascular (S-V) cells from dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue were maintained under several growth conditions. Cells were isolated from cultures at various times and DNA was labeled with propidium iodide (PI) and analyzed by flow cytometry. Treatment of cultures with colchicine allowed identification of S-V cells in mitosis. The relative proportion of replicating cells was dependent on several factors, including serum concentration and cell density at the time of harvest. Using the AD-1 anti-preadipocyte/adipocyte monoclonal antibody, the preadipocyte subpopulation within the S-V cells was identified. Furthermore, by labeling cells with PI concomitant with AD-1, the proportion of replicating preadipocytes was quantified. It is now possible to identify and quantify replicating preadipocytes rapidly under various experimental conditions.

Retrobulbar adipocytes and humoral immunity in Graves' ophthalmopathy

As CT and MR-imaging revealed an enlargement of retrobulbar fat tissue in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy, the role of the retrobulbar adipocytes in the pathogenesis of this disorder remains to be elucidated. To evaluate the in vitro influence of humoral immunity on retrobulbar adipose tissue, the effects of IgG and sera from 56 euthyroid ophthalmopathy patients and 53 controls on both porcine and human (patients' and controls') retrobulbar adipocytes were measured by means of several assays: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to reveal specific binding of antibodies to the adipocytes. Metabolic activity was determined by means of a colorimetric dimethyl thiazolium-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide test which quantifies the activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenases; cell proliferation was measured by incorporation of [3H]-thymidine in 24 h, and activities of adipocyte specific enzymes, such as membrane-bound lipoprotein lipase and 1-glycerol-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase were determined. By means of these specific enzyme tests no distinctions could be made between patients and controls. Furthermore, a significant difference between patients' (untreated and treated) and controls' IgG to bind to, to activate or to stimulate the proliferation of porcine or human (patients' and controls') retrobulbar adipocytes could not be detected under the employed experimental conditions. The effects of patients' heat-inactivated and non-inactivated sera were indistinguishable from those of the controls. Incubation with autologous sera, however, led to an activation of the retrobulbar adipocytes which was higher than the median caused by the patients' group and that engendered by incubation with autologous IgG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)