Diabetes Care Publish Ahead of Print published online ahead of print April 4, 2008 DOI: 10.2337/dc08-0219
TNF- Antagonism Improves Vasodilation During Hyperinsulinemia in Metabolic Syndrome
Manfredi Tesauro, MD*,
Francesca Schinzari, MD ,
Valentina Rovella, MD*,
Domenico Melina, MD ,
Nadia Mores, MD ,
Angela Barini, MD ,
Marco Mettimano, MD ,
Davide Lauro, MD ,
Micaela Iantorno, MD ,
Michael J. Quon, MD, PhD and
Carmine Cardillo, MD
*Università di Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; and
NCCAM, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
carmine.cardillo{at}rm.unicatt.it
ABSTRACT
Objective: Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation due to overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF- . We assessed the effects of TNF- neutralization by infliximab on vascular reactivity during hyperinsulinemia in obesity-related metabolic syndrome (MetS).
Research Design and Methods: Vascular responses to intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were assessed in patients with MetS, before and after administration of infliximab.
Results: Patients had blunted vasodilator responses to ACh and SNP during hyperinsulinemia compared with controls; a potentiation of the responsiveness to both ACh and SNP, however, was observed in patients following infliximab. The antioxidant vitamin C improved the vasodilator response to ACh in patients with MetS, but its effect was not further enhanced by concurrent administration of infliximab.
Conclusions: TNF- neutralization ameliorates vascular reactivity in MetS during hyperinsulinemia, likely in relation to decreased oxidative stress, thereby suggesting an involvement of inflammatory cytokines in vascular dysfunction of these patients.

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Copyright © 2008 by the American Diabetes Association.
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