Changes in Plasma Adiponectin, IL-6, TNF-α and Free Fatty Acid Concentrations in Obese Japanese Men

The risk of developing metabolic syndrome, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and hyperlipidemia increases with obesity, and an elevated visceral fat content has been associated with a higher incidence of metabolic risk factors. We investigated differences in IL-6 (Interleukin-6), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), adiponectin and FFA (free fatty acid) levels in obese and non-obese Japanese men. Five obese men (BMI: 32.4±4.9 kg/m2) and five non-obese men (BMI: 23.2±2.9 kg/m2) participated in this study.IL-6 levels were significantly higher in obese than in non-obese subjects, whereas no significant differences were observed in TNF-α, adiponectin, or FFA levels. These results suggested that IL-6 levels may be affected more by obesity in Japanese men than TNF-α and adiponectin levels, which may, in turn, influence the pathophysiology of obesity in Japanese individuals.