Roles of plasma interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α and FFA and TG in the development of insulin resistance induced by high-fat diet

The role of adipokines in development of insulin resistance still remains controversial. The purpose of the present study was to examine the dynamic changes of fasting plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), free fatty acids (FFA) and insulin in a Sprague–Dawley rat insulin resistant model induced by high-fat diet. Heterotopic deposition of triglycerides (TG) in liver, skeletal muscles and pancreatic islet was also investigated. The fasting plasma level of insulin in rats in the high-fat diet group was significantly higher than that in the normal diet group on day 21 (P < 0.01), suggesting that an increased insulin resistance developed in the high-fat diet group. However, no significant difference in the plasma IL-6 level was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05), although in both groups, the plasma IL-6 level was significantly higher on day 21 than that of the day 0 (P < 0.05). The plasma FFA level in the high-fat diet group began to increase significantly on day 21 (P < 0.05), and elevated markedly on day 28, was positively correlated to the fasting plasma insulin level. Histological study revealed a more abundant TG deposition in liver and skeletal muscles (from quadriceps femoris) in the high-fat diet group than in the normal diet group on day 21, and the liver deposition was even higher on day 28. However, no deposition was observed in pancreatic islets. The plasma TNF-α level remained unchanged throughout the duration of the experiment. These results indicate that the progression of insulin resistance in high-fat diet rats is closely related to the plasma FFA elevation and the heterotopic deposition of TG in liver and skeletal muscles, but is unrelated to the plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels.