ABSTRACT

Kamishindenmachi, Maebashi-city, Gunma, Japan 371-0821 2Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani,

Toyama, Japan 930-0194

Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta and its superfamily, macrophage inhibitory cytokine (MIC) 1, are produced in adipose tissue. Adipocytes also produce thrombospondin (TSP) 1, an activator of TGF-beta1. TGF-beta regulates the gene expression related to the adipose tissue metabolism and plays an important role as an adipokine in the pathogenesis of many diseases.