Satellite cells derived from obese humans with type 2 diabetes and differentiated into myocytes in vitro exhibit abnormal response to IL-6.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with chronically elevated systemic levels of IL-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine with a role in skeletal muscle metabolism that signals through the IL-6 receptor (IL-6Rα). We hypothesized that skeletal muscle in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes develops a resistance to IL-6. By utilizing western blot analysis, we demonstrate that IL-6Rα protein was down regulated in skeletal muscle biopsies from obese persons with and without type 2 diabetes. To further investigate the status of IL-6 signaling in skeletal muscle in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes, we isolated satellite cells from skeletal muscle of people that were healthy (He), obese (Ob) or were obese and had type 2 diabetes (DM), and differentiated them in vitro into myocytes. Down-regulation of IL-6Rα was conserved in Ob myocytes. In addition, acute IL-6 administration for 30, 60 and 120 minutes, resulted in a down-regulation of IL-6Rα protein in Ob myocytes compared to both He myocytes (P<0.05) and DM myocytes (P<0.05). Interestingly, there was a strong time-dependent regulation of IL-6Rα protein in response to IL-6 (P<0.001) in He myocytes, not present in the other groups. Assessing downstream signaling, DM, but not Ob myocytes demonstrated a trend towards an increased protein phosphorylation of STAT3 in DM myocytes (P = 0.067) accompanied by a reduced SOCS3 protein induction (P<0.05), in response to IL-6 administration. Despite this loss of negative control, IL-6 failed to increase AMPKα2 activity and IL-6 mRNA expression in DM myocytes. There was no difference in fusion capacity of myocytes between cell groups. Our data suggest that negative control of IL-6 signaling is increased in myocytes in obesity, whereas a dysfunctional IL-6 signaling is established further downstream of IL-6Rα in DM myocytes, possibly representing a novel mechanism by which skeletal muscle function is compromised in type 2 diabetes.

Increased levels of YKL-40 and interleukin 6 in patients with chronic pancreatitis and secondary diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Circulating levels of YKL-40 and interleukin 6 (IL-6) are elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes. We aimed to evaluate YKL-40 levels in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) with and without secondary diabetes mellitus (DM) to investigate whether elevated plasma YKL-40 could play a primary role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes or rather represent a consequence of the diabetic state. METHODS: Plasma levels of YKL-40 and IL-6 were measured during an oral glucose tolerance test in 8 patients with CP and secondary DM, 8 patients with CP and normal glucose tolerance (NGT), and 8 healthy control subjects (CTRLs). RESULTS: Plasma YKL-40 and IL-6 were significantly higher in patients with CP and secondary DM (YKL-40, mean [95% confidence interval], 113 [60-215 ng/mL]; IL-6, 4.6 [2.3-9.1 pg/mL]) compared to patients with CP and NGT (YKL-40, 42 [28-63 ng/mL]; IL-6, 1.4 [0.8-2.4 pg/mL]) and healthy control subjects (YKL-40, 46 [31-69 ng/mL]; IL-6, 1.4 [0.8-2.4 pg/mL]). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CP and secondary DM have elevated levels of YKL-40 and IL-6 compared to CP patients with NGT and healthy subjects, suggesting that YKL-40 is not a primary mediator of DM but a consequence of the diabetic state.

Calprotectin--a novel marker of obesity.

BACKGROUND: The two inflammatory molecules, S100A8 and S100A9, form a heterodimer, calprotectin. Plasma calprotectin levels are elevated in various inflammatory disorders. We hypothesized that plasma calprotectin levels would be increased in subjects with low-grade systemic inflammation i.e. either obese subjects or subjects with type 2 diabetes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Plasma calprotectin and skeletal muscle S100A8 mRNA levels were measured in a cohort consisting of 199 subjects divided into four groups depending on presence or absence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and presence or absence of obesity. There was a significant interaction between obesity and T2D (p = 0.012). Plasma calprotectin was increased in obese relative to non-obese controls (p<0.0001), whereas it did not differ between obese and non-obese patients with T2D (p = 0.62). S100A8 mRNA levels in skeletal muscle were not influenced by obesity or T2D. Multivariate regression analysis (adjusting for age, sex, smoking and HOMA2-IR) showed plasma calprotectin to be strongly associated with BMI, even when further adjusted for fitness, CRP, TNF-alpha or neutrophil number. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Plasma calprotectin is a marker of obesity in individuals without type 2 diabetes.

Fibroblast growth factor-21 is induced in human skeletal muscles by hyperinsulinemia.

OBJECTIVE: Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) is a potent metabolic regulator, which in animal models has been shown to improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Recently, FGF-21 was shown to be expressed and secreted from murine muscle cells in response to insulin stimulation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied muscular FGF-21 expression and plasma FGF-21 after acute insulin stimulation in young healthy men during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Furthermore, we investigated systemic levels and muscle FGF-21 expression in humans with or without insulin resistance and chronic elevated insulin. RESULTS: FGF-21 was barely detectable in young healthy men before insulin infusion. After 3 or 4 h of insulin infusion during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, muscular FGF-21 expression increased significantly. Plasma FGF-21 followed the same pattern. In individuals with chronic elevated insulin, muscular FGF-21 expression was associated with hyperinsulinemia in men but not in women. In plasma, hyperinsulinemia and fasting glucose were positively associated with plasma FGF-21 while plasma FGF-21 correlated negatively with HDL cholesterol. No associations between muscle and plasma FGF-21 were found in the individuals with chronic hyperinsulinemia. CONCLUSIONS: FGF-21 is expressed in human skeletal muscle in response to insulin stimulation, suggesting that FGF-21 is an insulin-regulated myokine. In support, we found an association between chronic hyperinsulinemia and levels of FGF-21.

Association between interleukin-15 and obesity: interleukin-15 as a potential regulator of fat mass.

OBJECTIVE: IL-15 decreases lipid deposition in preadipocytes and decreases the mass of white adipose tissue in rats, indicating that IL-15 may take part in regulating this tissue. IL-15 is expressed in human skeletal muscle and skeletal muscle may be a source of plasma IL-15 and in this way regulate adipose tissue mass. DESIGN: The relation between skeletal muscle IL-15 mRNA expression, plasma IL-15, and adipose tissue mass was studied in 199 humans divided into four groups on the basis of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, using a DNA electrotransfer model, we assessed the effect of IL-15 overexpression in skeletal muscle of mice. RESULTS: In humans, multiple regression analysis showed a negative association between plasma IL-15 and total fat mass (P<0.05), trunk fat mass (P<0.01), and percent fat mass (P<0.05), independent of type 2 diabetes. Negative associations were also found between muscle IL-15 mRNA and obesity parameters. IL-15 overexpression in skeletal muscle of mice reduced trunk fat mass but not sc fat mass. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that IL-15 may be a regulator of trunk fat mass.

Calprotectin is released from human skeletal muscle tissue during exercise.

Skeletal muscle has been identified as a secretory organ. We hypothesized that IL-6, a cytokine secreted from skeletal muscle during exercise, could induce production of other secreted factors in skeletal muscle. IL-6 was infused for 3 h into healthy young males (n = 7) and muscle biopsies obtained at time points 0, 3 and 6 h in these individuals and in resting controls. Affymetrix microarray analysis of gene expression changes in skeletal muscle biopsies identified a small set of genes changed by IL-6 infusion. RT-PCR validation confirmed that S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA were up-regulated 3-fold in skeletal muscle following IL-6 infusion compared to controls. Furthermore, S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA levels were up-regulated 5-fold in human skeletal muscle following cycle ergometer exercise for 3 h at approximately 60% of in young healthy males (n = 8). S100A8 and S100A9 form calprotectin, which is known as an acute phase reactant. Plasma calprotectin increased 5-fold following acute cycle ergometer exercise in humans, but not following IL-6 infusion. To identify the source of calprotectin, healthy males (n = 7) performed two-legged dynamic knee extensor exercise for 3 h with a work load of approximately 50% of peak power output and arterial-femoral venous differences were obtained. Arterial plasma concentrations for calprotectin increased 2-fold compared to rest and there was a net release of calprotectin from the working muscle. In conclusion, IL-6 infusion and muscle contractions induce expression of S100A8 and S100A9 in skeletal muscle. However, IL-6 alone is not a sufficient stimulus to facilitate release of calprotectin from skeletal muscle.

The biological roles of exercise-induced cytokines: IL-6, IL-8, and IL-15.

Skeletal muscle fibers express several cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-15. Solid evidence exists that muscular IL-6 and IL-8 are regulated by muscle contractions, at both the mRNA and the protein levels. IL-6 increases insulin-stimulated glucose disposal and fatty acid oxidation in humans in vivo. Both IL-6 and IL-8 are released from working skeletal muscle, but because IL-6 contributes to the systemic circulation only a small transient net release of IL-8 is found from working muscle, suggesting that IL-8 may exert its effects locally in the muscle. IL-15 is a recently discovered growth factor, which is highly expressed in skeletal muscle. Interestingly, although IL-15 has been demonstrated as having anabolic effects on skeletal muscle in vitro and in vivo, it seems to play a role in reducing adipose tissue mass, and a role for IL-15 in muscle-fat cross-talk has been hypothesized. In conclusion, muscle-derived cytokines appear to have important roles in metabolism, and exercise plays a role in orchestrating the interplay between cytokines and metabolism.

Expression of interleukin-15 in human skeletal muscle effect of exercise and muscle fibre type composition.

The cytokine interleukin-15 (IL-15) has been demonstrated to have anabolic effects in cell culture systems. We tested the hypothesis that IL-15 is predominantly expressed by type 2 skeletal muscle fibres, and that resistance exercise regulates IL-15 expression in muscle. Triceps brachii, vastus lateralis quadriceps and soleus muscle biopsies were obtained from normally physically active, healthy, young male volunteers (n = 14), because these muscles are characterized by having different fibre-type compositions. In addition, healthy, normally physically active male subjects (n = 8) not involved in any kind of resistance exercise underwent a heavy resistance exercise protocol that stimulated the vastus lateralis muscle and biopsies were obtained from this muscle pre-exercise as well as 6, 24 and 48 h post-exercise. IL-15 mRNA levels were twofold higher in the triceps (type 2 fibre dominance) compared with the soleus muscle (type 1 fibre dominance), but Western blotting and immunohistochemistry revealed that muscle IL-15 protein content did not differ between triceps brachii, quadriceps and soleus muscles. Following resistance exercise, IL-15 mRNA levels were up-regulated twofold at 24 h of recovery without any changes in muscle IL-15 protein content or plasma IL-15 at any of the investigated time points. In conclusion, IL-15 mRNA level is enhanced in skeletal muscles dominated by type 2 fibres and resistance exercise induces increased muscular IL-15 mRNA levels. IL-15 mRNA levels in skeletal muscle were not paralleled by similar changes in muscular IL-15 protein expression suggesting that muscle IL-15 may exist in a translationally inactive pool.

Altered regulation of the PINK1 locus: a link between type 2 diabetes and neurodegeneration?

Mutations in PINK1 cause the mitochondrial-related neurodegenerative disease Parkinson's. Here we investigate whether obesity, type 2 diabetes, or inactivity alters transcription from the PINK1 locus. We utilized a cDNA-array and quantitative real-time PCR for gene expression analysis of muscle from healthy volunteers following physical inactivity, and muscle and adipose tissue from nonobese or obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes. Functional studies of PINK1 were performed utilizing RNA interference in cell culture models. Following inactivity, the PINK1 locus had an opposing regulation pattern (PINK1 was down-regulated while natural antisense PINK1 was up-regulated). In type 2 diabetes skeletal muscle, all transcripts from the PINK1 locus were suppressed and gene expression correlated with diabetes status. RNA interference of PINK1 in human neuronal cell lines impaired basal glucose uptake. In adipose tissue, mitochondrial gene expression correlated with PINK1 expression although remained unaltered following siRNA knockdown of Pink1 in primary cultures of brown preadipocytes. In conclusion, regulation of the PINK1 locus, previously linked to neurodegenerative disease, is altered in obesity, type 2 diabetes and inactivity, while the combination of RNAi experiments and clinical data suggests a role for PINK1 in cell energetics rather than in mitochondrial biogenesis.