Mechanical-tactile stimulation in a neonatal stress model alters depot-specific expression of proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-? and IL-6

Premature infants are exposed to stressful events in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). Neonatal stress is associated with increased adipose distribution to visceral depots (VAT). Adipose tissue, particularly VAT, produces two major cytokines associated with reducing insulin sensitivity, TNF-­?? and IL-­?6. Timed pregnant dams delivered at term (E21). Litters were culled to 10 pups (5 M, 5 F) and divided into three groups: control (CTL; maternal separation), neonatal stress (NS; maternal separation + injection + hypoxia/hyperoxia) and NS + MTS (10 min of stroking and limb movement). Treatments were given from D6-­?10 and tissue was harvested on D120. VAT and subcutaneous (SAT) depots measures were detected using MRI and DXA. Serum levels of insulin, TNF-­?? and IL-­?6 were measured with ELISA, and cytokine mRNA levels in VAT and SAT were measured by real-­?time PCR. Protein expression was determined through western blotting.