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The Link between Stress and IL-6 Is Heating Up
1Joslin Diabetes Center, Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Cell Metabolism
|August 7, 2020
Summary
Psychological stress triggers interleukin-6 (IL-6) release from brown fat. This impacts liver sugar production and weakens the body's response to inflammation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolic regulation
- Stress physiology
Background:
- Psychological stress is known to impair immune responses.
- The exact mechanisms linking stress to reduced inflammatory adaptability are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular pathways through which psychological stress affects the host's inflammatory resilience.
Main Methods:
- Investigated the role of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in stress-induced immune modulation.
- Measured levels of key inflammatory markers and metabolic regulators following stress induction.
Main Results:
- Psychological stress stimulates brown adipose tissue to secrete interleukin-6 (IL-6).
- Elevated IL-6 levels promote hepatic gluconeogenesis (sugar production in the liver).
- This metabolic shift compromises the host's ability to cope with inflammatory challenges.
Conclusions:
- Brown adipose tissue acts as a critical mediator between psychological stress and metabolic/immune dysfunction.
- Stress-induced IL-6 secretion from BAT represents a key mechanism reducing host fitness during inflammation.
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