B-cell-activating factor is a regulator of adipokines and a possible mediator between adipocytes and macrophages.

We examined adipokine expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with 10 ng ml(-1) BAFF. We also examined inflammatory molecule expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages treated with 10 or 100 ng ml(-1) BAFF. We examined BAFF expression in the coculture of 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW 264.7 macrophages, as well as in white adipose tissue (WAT) of diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. We found that BAFF decreases leptin and adiponectin expression, but increases the expression of proinflammatory adipokines monocyte chemotactic protein-1, interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and haptoglobin. Coculturing the two cell types resulted in increased BAFF mRNA and protein expression, as well as modulation of BAFF-R mRNA expression in both cell types. These data indicate that BAFF might mediate adipocyte and macrophage interaction. When RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with BAFF, BAFF-R expression was modulated as in coculture, and nitric oxide synthase and IL-6 expression increased. BAFF expression also increased in WAT of DIO mice. We propose that BAFF can regulate adipokine expression and possibly mediate adipocyte and macrophage interaction. PMID: 23306702 [PubMed - in process]
Source: exp Mol Med - Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Tags: Exp Mol Med Source Type: research