IL-6 deficiency in mice neither impairs induction of metabolic genes in the liver nor affects blood glucose levels during fasting and moderately intense exercise

Fasting and exercise are strong physiological stimuli for hepatic glucose production. IL-6 has been implicated in the regulation of gluconeogenic genes, but the results are contradictory and the relevance of IL-6 for fasting- and exercise-induced hepatic glucose production is not clear. Investigations were performed in rat hepatoma cells, and on C57Bl6 and Il6 (-/-) mice under the following conditions: IL-6 stimulation/injection, non-exhaustive exercise (60 min run on a treadmill) and fasting for 16 h. Metabolite analysis, quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblotting were performed. IL-6 stimulation of rat hepatoma cells led to higher glucose production. Injection of IL-6 in mice slightly increased hepatic Pepck (also known as Pck1) expression. Fasting of Il6 (-/-) mice for 16 h did not alter glucose production compared with wild-type mice, since plasma glucose concentrations were similar and upregulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and Pgc-1 alpha (also known as Ppargc1a) expression was comparable. In the non-fasting state, Il6 (-/-) mice showed a mild metabolic alteration including higher plasma glucose and insulin levels, lower NEFA concentrations and slightly increased hepatic PEPCK content. Moderately intense exercise resulted in elevated IL-6 plasma levels in wild-type mice. Despite that, plasma glucose, insulin, NEFA levels and hepatic glycogen content were not different in Il6 (-/-) mice immediately after running, while expression of hepatic G6pc, Pgc-1 alpha, Irs2 and Igfbp1 mRNA was similarly increased. These data suggest that in mice IL-6 is not essential for physiologically increased glucose production during fasting or non-exhaustive exercise.