Obesity and adipose tissue expansion is characterized by a chronic state of systemic inflammation that contributes to disease. The neuropeptide, oxytocin, working through its receptor has been shown to attenuate inflammation in sepsis, wound healing, and cardiovascular disease. The current study examined the effects of chronic oxytocin infusions on adipose tissue inflammation in a murine model of obesity, the leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mouse. The effect of obesity on oxytocin receptor protein and mRNA expression in adipose tissue was evaluated by Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Mice were implanted with osmotic minipumps filled with oxytocin or vehicle for 8 weeks. At study endpoint adipose tissue inflammation was assessed by measurement of cytokine and adipokine mRNA tissue levels, adipocyte size and macrophage infiltration via histopathology, and plasma levels of adiponectin and serum amyloid A as markers of systemic inflammation. The expression of adipose tissue oxytocin receptor was increased in obese db/db mice compared to lean controls. In adipose tissue oxytocin infusion reduced adipocyte size, macrophage infiltration, IL-6 and TNFα mRNA expression, and increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory adipokine, adiponectin. In plasma, oxytocin infusion reduced the level of serum amyloid A, a marker of systemic inflammation, and increased circulating adiponectin. In an animal model of obesity and diabetes chronic oxytocin treatment led to a reduction in visceral adipose tissue inflammation and plasma markers of systemic inflammation, which may play a role in disease progression.

中文翻译：

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催产素可减少肥胖小鼠的脂肪组织炎症。

肥胖和脂肪组织扩张的特征是导致疾病的慢性全身炎症状态。神经肽催产素通过其受体发挥作用，已被证明可以减轻败血症、伤口愈合和心血管疾病中的炎症。目前的研究在肥胖小鼠模型（瘦素受体缺陷（db/db）小鼠）中检查了长期输注催产素对脂肪组织炎症的影响。通过蛋白质印迹和实时聚合酶链反应评估肥胖对脂肪组织中催产素受体蛋白和 mRNA 表达的影响。小鼠被植入充满催产素或媒介物的渗透微型泵，为期 8 周。在研究终点，通过测量细胞因子和脂肪因子 mRNA 组织水平、通过组织病理学测量脂肪细胞大小和巨噬细胞浸润以及作为全身炎症标志物的脂联素和血清淀粉样蛋白 A 的血浆水平来评估脂肪组织炎症。与瘦对照小鼠相比，肥胖 db/db 小鼠脂肪组织催产素受体的表达增加。在脂肪组织中，输注催产素可减少脂肪细胞大小、巨噬细胞浸润、IL-6 和 TNFα mRNA 表达，并增加抗炎脂肪因子脂联素的表达。在血浆中，输注催产素降低了血清淀粉样蛋白 A（全身炎症标志物）的水平，并增加了循环脂联素。在肥胖和糖尿病的动物模型中，长期催产素治疗导致内脏脂肪组织炎症和全身炎症的血浆标志物减少，这可能在疾病进展中发挥作用。