Effects of Marimastat on serum adipokine levels, fatty acid export from the liver and TACE activity.

<p>C57BL/6 animals were fed a high fat diet for 9 weeks, followed by two weeks of treatment with either Marimastat (MAR) or vehicle (VEH) control. <i>Ob/ob</i> animals were fed a normal fat diet and received 4 weeks of MAR or VEH control. MAR did not affect serum levels of adiponectin (A), leptin (B) and tumor necrosis factor-α receptor II (p75) (C); however, serum levels of IL-6 (D) were significantly increased in MAR animals in both studies. MAR did not affect hepatic lipid export rates, as quantified by injection of tyloxapol (E). MAR inhibited both human and mouse recombinant TACE in a dose-dependent matter. Values represent the mean ± SEM. Statistical significance is calculated between the VEH and MAR animals (<i>n</i> = 5 C57BL/6 and <i>n</i> = 4 <i>ob/ob</i> animals per group; *, <i>P</i><0.05; **, <i>P</i><0.01; ns, not significant).