FIGURE 6.

In vivo effects of metformin in ob/ob mice. Metformin (250 mg/kg, bid, n = 5) or vehicle (saline, n = 4) was orally administered to ob/ob mice for 3 weeks. Plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels (A), plasma glucose (B), and insulin (C) were determined by ELISA. Body weight changes are shown (D). The expression of ATF-3, phospho-AMPK-α (Thr¹⁷²) (p-AMPK), TNF-α, and IL-6 in lung and spleen tissues was determined by Western blotting (E, left panel, lung; right panel, spleen). The experiment was repeated twice, and results are expressed as means ± S.E. (error bars). *, p < 0.05 versus vehicle.