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Tumour necrosis factor alpha and oxidative stress as maintaining factors in the evolution of anorexia nervosa

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Aim of the study was to evaluate tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) axis and oxidative status in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) seeking a possible correlation with both nutritional status and evolution of the disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive women with AN and an age-matched healthy control group were studied. Patients were 26±9 yr, with a body mass index (BMI) of 13.9±2 kg/m2. TNF-α, its receptors TNF-R55 and TNF-R75, and oxidative status markers (selenium, ascorbic/dehydroascorbic acid, retinol, α-tocopherol, selenium-dependent gluthatione peroxidase, reduced/oxidated gluthatione) were measured. A correlation with both nutritional indexes (body weight, BMI, albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, lymphocyte count) and disease duration was investigated. Pearson’s correlation and unpaired Student’s t-test were used to compare patients and controls. RESULTS: TNF-α and oxidative status markers were significantly higher in patients than controls and TNF-α was directly related to dehydroascorbic acid (p<0.05). Both TNF-R55 and TNF-R75 were higher in patients with duration of disease longer than one year as compared to controls and patients with shorter duration. Receptors inversely correlated with BMI (p<0.05 and p<0.01) and directly with disease duration (p<0.05). Inverse correlation between disease duration and BMI was present (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed activation of TNF-α axis and oxidative stress in AN patients, as well as correlation between the two systems. Due to the correlation between TNF receptors and both BMI and disease duration, a possible role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the evolution of the eating disorder is suggested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. A.O.U. San Giovanni Battista of Turin, Via Servais 160, 10146, Turin, Italy

    E. Agnello, G. Malfi, A. M. Costantino & A. Palmo

  2. Laboratory of Clinical Nutrition, A.O.U. San Giovanni Battista of Turin, Turin, Italy

    P. Massarenti

  3. Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    M. Pugliese & M. G. Catalano

  4. Laboratory of Oncological Endocrinology, A.O.U. San Giovanni Battista of Turin, Turin, Italy

    N. Fortunati

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  1. E. Agnello
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Correspondence to E. Agnello.

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Agnello, E., Malfi, G., Costantino, A.M. et al. Tumour necrosis factor alpha and oxidative stress as maintaining factors in the evolution of anorexia nervosa. Eat Weight Disord 17, e194–e199 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325347

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325347

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