Myoung-Sool Do, et al. yet known.20,21 Perhaps adipocyte accumulation initiates an imbalance between matrix synthesis and degradation in healthy cartilage, which, in turn, promotes chondral loss and prevents carti- lage self-repair. IL1F5, a member of the IL-1 family, is relatively abundant in epithelia and may help regulate inflammation in this specific compartment.22 The role of IL1F5, ADAMTS1, FN1, and MMP15 in adipocytes and the reason for their decrease after TNF-α treatment, are unknown at the moment and await further investigation. In conclusion, we identified several inflamma- tory molecules, newly expressed in SGBS adipocytes, and also found molecular factors that explain the relationship between obesity and atherosclerosis, with a focus on the inflammatory cytokines expressed by TNF-α-treated SGBS cells. REFERENCES 1. Kershaw EE, Flier JS. Adipose tissue as an endocrine organ. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004;89:2548-56. 2. Trayhurn P, Wood IS. Signalling role of adipose tissue: adipokines and inflammation in obesity. Biochem Soc Trans 2005;33:1078-81. 3. Fantuzzi G. Adipose tissue, adipokines, and inflamma- tion. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2005;15:911-20. 4. Ziccardi P, Nappo F, Giugliano G, Esposito K, Marfella R, Cioffi M, et al. Reduction of inflammatory cytokine concentrations and improvement of endothelial functions in obese women after weight loss over one year. Circulation 2002;105:804-9. 5. Yudkin JS. Adipose tissue, insulin action and vascular disease: inflammatory signals. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2003;27 (Suppl 3):S25-8. 6. Sethi JK, Hotamisligil GS. The role of TNFα in adipo- cyte metabolism. Semin Cell Dev Biol 1999;10:19-29. 7. Grunfeld C, Feingold KR. Regulation of lipid metab- olism by cytokines during host defense. Nutrition 1996; 12(1 Suppl):S24-6. 8. Wabitsch M, Brenner RE, Melzner I, Braun M, Moller P, Heinze E, et al. Characterization of a human preadipocyte cell strain with high capacity for adipose differentiation. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001;25: 8-15. 9. Sartipy P, Loskutoff DJ. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 in obesity and insulin resistance. Proc Natl Yonsei Med J Vol. 47, No. 5, 2006 Acad Sci USA 2003;100:7265-70. 10. Takahashi K, Mizuarai S, Araki H, Mashiko S, Ishihara A, Kanatani A, et al. Adiposity elevates plasma MCP-1 levels leading to the increased CD11b-positive monocytes in mice. J Biol Chem 2003;278:46654-60. 11. Kodali RB, Kim WJ, Galaria II, Miller C, Schecter AD, Lira SA, et al. CCL11 (Eotaxin) induces CCR3-depen- dent smooth muscle cell migration. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2004;24:1211-6. 12. De Caterina R, Bernini W, Carluccio MA, Liao JK, Libby P. Structural requirements for inhibition of cytokine-induced endothelial activation by unsaturated fatty acids. J Lipid Res 1998;39:1062-70. 13. Lyon CJ, Law RE, Hsueh WA. Minireview: adiposity, inflammation, and atherogenesis. Endocrinology 2003; 144:2195-200. 14. Stetler-Stevenson WG, Liotta LA, Kleiner DE Jr. Ex- tracellular matrix 6: role of matrix metalloproteinases in tumor invasion and metastasis. FASEB J 1993;7:1434-41. 15. Hynes RO. The dynamic dialogue between cells and matrices: implications of fibronectin's elasticity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1999;96:2588-90. 16. Caterson B, Flannery CR, Hughes CE, Little CB. Mecha- nisms involved in cartilage proteoglycan catabolism. Matrix Biol 2000;19:333-44. 17. Stanton H, Ung L, Fosang AJ. The 45 kDa collagen- binding fragment of fibronectin induces matrix metallo- proteinase-13 synthesis by chondrocytes and aggrecan degradation by aggrecanases. Biochem J 2002;364: 181-90. 18. Okada Y. Proteinase and matrix degradation. In: Ruddy S, Harris ED Jr, Sledge CB, editors. Kelly's Textbook of Rheumatology. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company; 2001. p.55-72. 19. Tetlow LC, Adlam DJ, Woolley DE. Matrix metal- loproteinase and proinflammatory cytokine production by chondrocytes of human osteoarthritic cartilage: associations with degenerative changes. Arthritis Rheum 2001;44:585-94. 20. Voros G, Maquoi E, Collen D, Lijnen HR. Differential expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, TNF-alpha converting enzyme and ADAMTS family members in murine fat territories. Biochim Biophys Acta 2003;1625:36-42. 21. Boeuf S, Klingenspor M, Van Hal NL, Schneider T, Keijer J, Klaus S. Differential gene expression in white and brown preadipocytes. Physiol Genomics 2001;7:15- 25. 22. Debets R, Timans JC, Homey B, Zurawski S, Sana TR, Lo S, et al. Two novel IL-1 family members, IL-1delta and IL-1epsilon function as an antagonist and agonist of NF-κB activation through the orphan IL-1 receptor- related protein 2. J Immunol 2001;167:1440-6.