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INFLAMMATION AND CYTOKINES

Interleukin-6 and cachexia in Apc^Min/+ mice

¹Integrative Muscle Biology Laboratory, Exercise Science Department, ²Department of Biological Sciences, and the ³Center for Colon Cancer Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia; and ⁴Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina

Submitted 4 October 2007 ; accepted in final form 14 December 2007

The Apc^Min/+ mouse has a mutation in the Apc tumor suppressor gene and develops intestinal polyps, beginning at 4 wk of age. This mouse develops cachexia by 6 mo, characterized by significant loss of muscle and fat tissue. The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the polyp burden for the development of cachexia in Apc^Min/+ mice. At 26 wk of age, mice exhibiting severe cachectic symptoms had a 61% decrease in gastrocnemius muscle weight, complete loss of epididymal fat, a 10-fold increase in circulating IL-6 levels, and an 89% increase in intestinal polyps compared with mildly cachectic animals. Apc^Min/+/IL-6^–/– mice did not lose gastrocnemius muscle mass or epididymal fat pad mass while overall polyp number decreased by 32% compared with Apc^Min/+ mice. Plasmid-based IL-6 overexpression in Apc^Min/+/IL-6^–/– mice led to a decrease in gastrocnemius muscle mass and epididymal fat pad mass and increased intestinal polyp burden. IL-6 overexpression did not induce cachexia in non-tumor-bearing mice. These data demonstrate that IL-6 is necessary for the onset of adipose and skeletal muscle wasting in the Apc^Min/+ mouse and that circulating IL-6 can regulate Apc^Min/+ mouse tumor burden.

cachexia; colorectal cancer; inflammation; polyps; STAT-3