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TY - JOUR AU - Wallenius, Ville AU - Wallenius, Kristina AU - Ahrén, Bo AU - Rudling, Mats AU - Carlsten, Hans AU - Dickson, Suzanne L. AU - Ohlsson, Claes AU - Jansson, John-Olov PY - 2002 DA - 2002/01/01 TI - Interleukin-6-deficient mice develop mature-onset obesity JO - Nature Medicine SP - 75 EP - 79 VL - 8 IS - 1 AB - The immune-modulating cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is expressed both in adipose tissue and centrally in hypothalamic nuclei that regulate body composition. We investigated the impact of loss of IL-6 on body composition in mice lacking the gene encoding IL-6 (Il6−/− mice) and found that they developed mature-onset obesity that was partly reversed by IL-6 replacement. The obese Il6−/− mice had disturbed carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, increased leptin levels and decreased responsiveness to leptin treatment. To investigate the possible mechanism and site of action of the anti-obesity effect of IL-6, we injected rats centrally and peripherally with IL-6 at low doses. Intracerebroventricular, but not intraperitoneal IL-6 treatment increased energy expenditure. In conclusion, centrally acting IL-6 exerts anti-obesity effects in rodents. SN - 1546-170X UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0102-75 DO - 10.1038/nm0102-75 ID - Wallenius2002 ER -