Effects of obesity on IL-33/ST2 system in heart, adipose tissue and liver: study in the experimental model of Zucker rats

Exp Mol Pathol. 2017 Apr;102(2):354-359. doi: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2017.03.002. Epub 2017 Mar 6.

Abstract

Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) mediates the effect of Interleukin-33 (IL-33). Few data are reported on the relationship between IL-33/ST2 and obesity. We aimed to investigate effects of obesity on IL-33/ST2 system in heart, adipose tissue and liver in a rodent model of obesity. The relationship of cardiac expression of IL-33/ST2 system with natriuretic peptides (NPs) system and inflammatory mediators was also studied. mRNA expression of IL-33/ST2 system was evaluated in cardiac, adipose and hepatic biopsies from obese Zucker rats (O) and controls (CO). Expression levels of sST2 was significantly lower in O rats compared with CO (p<0.05) in all tissues. Besides, the mRNA levels of IL-33 decreased significant in fat of O respect to CO, while, expression levels of ST2L was significantly higher in liver of CO than in O. A strong relationship of IL-33/ST2 with NPs and classical inflammatory mediators was observed in cardiac tissue. Expression of sST2 in cardiac, adipose and liver tissue decreased in O compared with controls, suggesting an involvement for IL-33/ST2 system in molecular mechanisms of obesity. The strong relationships with NP systems and inflammatory mediators could suggest an involvement for IL-33/ST2 in molecular pathways leading to cardiac dysfunction and inflammation associated with obesity.

Keywords: Inflammation; Interleukin-33; Obesity; Suppression of tumorigenicity 2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Interleukin-33 / genetics
  • Interleukin-33 / metabolism*
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Myocardium / metabolism*
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • Obesity / pathology
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats, Zucker
  • Receptors, Interleukin-1 / genetics
  • Receptors, Interleukin-1 / metabolism*
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • Interleukin-33
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Interleukin-1
  • ST2 protein, rat