Stimulation of lipolysis in cultured fat cells by tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1, and the interferons is blocked by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis.

Multiple cytokines induce a number of alterations in lipid metabolism which can produce hyperlipidemia. Recent studies have demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) increases lipolysis, resulting in an increase in circulating FFA levels, which stimulates hepatic triglyceride production, thereby contributing to the hyperlipidemia induced by TNF. In the present investigation we have determined the effects of a variety of cytokines on lipolysis in cultured 3T3-F442A adipocytes. TNF increased lipolysis approximately 3-fold with a maximal effect at 100 ng/ml and a half-maximal increase at 5-10 ng/ml. This increase was first observed 8 h after incubation with TNF. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interferon-alpha (IFN), -beta, and -gamma also stimulated lipolysis in cultured adipocytes. The half-maximal increase in lipolysis occurred at approximately 10 ng/ml IL-1, 5 ng/ml IFN alpha, 10 ng/ml IFN beta, and 8 ng/ml of IFN gamma. Maximal lipolysis was observed at approximately 100 ng/ml for each of these cytokines, with the exception of IFN beta, for which maximal stimulation was observed at 1000 ng/ml. Neither platelet-activating factor nor IL-6 stimulated lipolysis; therefore, it is unlikely that these compounds mediate the increase in lipolysis induced by cytokines. However, indomethacin, a well known inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, prevented the increase in lipolysis induced by TNF, IL-1, IFN alpha, IFN beta, or IFN gamma. Indomethacin did not affect basal lipolysis or the acute stimulation of lipolysis induced by epinephrine. These results demonstrate that multiple cytokines can increase lipolysis and that this increase is mediated by cytokine-induced stimulation of prostaglandin synthesis.