Obese MIF^−/− mice exhibit reduced adipose tissue inflammation and improved adipose tissue insulin sensitivity compared to obese WT mice.

<p>Levels of pro-inflammatory (a) TNFα and (b) IL-1β secretion into media from adipose tissue explants was measured by ELISA. Lean = 17, obese n = 17. Gene expression analysis of (c) <i>Tnfα</i>, (d) <i>Il-1β</i> in lean and obese adipose tissue from WT and MIF^−/− mice. Lean = 5, obese n = 5. (e) Immunoblot analysis of phosphorylated JNK and control β-actin and corresponding densitometry analysis expressed in arbitrary units (AU) Lean = 3, obese n = 3. (f). <i>Ex vivo</i> insulin (100 nM)-stimulated ³H-glucose transport into whole adipose tissue (50 mg) harvested from obese WT and MIF^−/− mice was evaluated. Fold increase in ³H-glucose transport into adipose in response to insulin over basal (non-insulin-stimulated) is presented (white bars = −insulin, black bars = + insulin) n = 6. Gene expression analysis of (g) <i>Glut-4</i> in adipose tissue from lean and obese WT and MIF^−/− mice. Lean = 5, obese n = 5. (h) Immunoblot analysis of phosphorylated AKT levels and control β-actin. Lean = 3, obese n = 3. WT mice represented by white bars, MIF^−/− mice represented by black bars in all graphs. Data are mean ± SEM, *p&lt;0.05, **p&lt;0.01 and ***p&lt;0.001 w.r.t obese WT.