JOURNEY FROM CACHEXIA TO OBESITY BY TNF

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a cytokine involved in the physiological and metabolic abnormalities found in cachectic states, U ntil very recently, it was inconceivable to think of TNF-alpha in obes ity, However, recent studies have shown that TNF-alpha can also play a key role in obesity, the cytokine being overexpressed in adipose tiss ue of obese rodents and humans, The aim of this review is to reconcile the role of TNF-alpha in these two opposite metabolic situations: obe sity and cachexia. It is suggested that TNF-alpha may have a key role in the control of body mass in normal weight-controlled situations and that abnormalities in either its production (during cachexia) or acti on (during obesity) are responsible for the lack of control of body we ight.