Effect of infliximab on metabolic disorders induced by Walker-256 tumor in rats

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of infliximab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor a (TNFα) mono-clonal antibody, on the progression of cachexia and several metabolic parameters affected by the Walker-256 tumor in rats. Methods Infliximab (0.5 mg/kg) was ip administered, twice a day, beginning at the day in which the Walker-256 tumor cells were in-oculated. After 12 days of treatment, the tumor growth, some parameters of cachexia/anorexia, the blood levels of triacylglycerol, glucose, lactate and urea, the peripheral response to insulin and the hepatic glycolysis and gluconeogenesis were investigated. The pe-ripheral response to insulin was evaluated by the insulin tolerance test and the glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in isolated perfused liver. Results The treatment with infliximab did not alter the growth of the Walker-256 tumor, but attenuated (p  Conclusion The treatment with infliximab ameliorated some changes associated with cachexia, such as the reduction of adipose tissue and body weight, suggesting that TNFα plays a significant role in mediating these changes induced by the tumor. In addition, in-fliximab tended to improve or had no effect on other metabolic parameters affected by the Walker-256 tumor, suggesting that other mediators or tumor-related events are involved in these disorders.