Exp Mol Med.  2013 Jan;45(1):e4.

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

• Kim MY
• Kim DH
• Do MS

Abstract

3T3-L1 adipocytes express the B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) and three different BAFF receptors (BAFF-Rs). Furthermore, BAFF expression is regulated by inflammatory modulators, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and rosiglitazone. Here we investigated the function of BAFF in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW 264.7 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.

Keyword

3T3-L1 adipocytes; B-cell-activating factor; coculture; diet-induced obesity; inflammation

MeSH Terms

3T3-L1 Cells
Adipocytes/drug effects/*metabolism
Adipokines/genetics/*metabolism
Adiponectin/genetics/metabolism
Animals
B-Cell Activating Factor/*metabolism/pharmacology
Chemokine CCL2/genetics/metabolism
Coculture Techniques
Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects
Haptoglobins/genetics/metabolism
Inflammation Mediators/metabolism
Interleukin-6/genetics/metabolism
Leptin/genetics/metabolism
Macrophages/drug effects/*metabolism
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Obese
RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism
Adipokines
Adiponectin
B-Cell Activating Factor
Chemokine CCL2
Haptoglobins
Inflammation Mediators
Interleukin-6
Leptin
RNA, Messenger