Elevated serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and bioactivity in type 2 diabetics and patients with android type obesity

The role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in insulin resistance has been stud ied in 59 patients with Type 2 diabetes, 28 with android type obesity and 3 5 healthy lean controls. Immunoreactive concentrations and bioactivity of s erum tumor necrosis factor-alpha have repeatedly been determined in 8 weeks intervals for 12 months, five times per patients, by using ELISA and L979 cell cytotoxicity bioassay. Significantly higher immunoreactive tumor necro sis factor-alpha concentrations and bioactivity have been found in both, th e Type 2 diabetic and obese groups as compared to the healthy persons. Tumo r necrosis factor-alpha concentrations and bioactivity have showed a signif icant positive linear correlation with the elevated basal serum C-peptide l evels and body mass indexes in both groups of patients. According to these data the cytokine might play a role in insulin resistance in obesity as wel l in Type 2 diabetes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights res erved.