Increased level of tumour necrosis factor‐alpha ( TNF ‐ α ) on the skin of Japanese obese males: measured by quantitative skin blotting

Objective A state of chronic inflammation, characterized by an increased level of tumour necrosis factor‐alpha ( TNF ‐ α ), is often found in the obese population. The negative effects of elevated TNF ‐ α are not limited to systemic metabolism. It also reportedly affects skin integrity. Recently, the relationship between obesity and skin fragility was reported; however, there has been little insight into how the level of TNF ‐ α in the skin in situ is related to the severity of obesity. In this study, we aimed to measure the level of TNF ‐ α on the skin and to find the relationship between obesity and the level of TNF ‐ α detected on the skin. Methods We used a novel, non‐invasive method called quantitative skin blotting. Fifty‐nine healthy (but some were classified as being overweight or obese) Japanese males were enrolled as subjects. The levels of TNF ‐ α detected on the abdominal and thigh skin along with the body composition were measured, followed by a correlation analysis. Results Significant positive correlations were found between the levels of TNF ‐ α detected on the skin and the severity of obesity such as body mass index ( BMI ), body fat weight and visceral fat rating. Conclusion We found that high levels of TNF ‐ α were detected on the skin of Japanese obese males, which implied the higher TNF ‐ α in the skin. The elevation of skin TNF ‐ α may be one factor related to skin fragility that is often found in obese individuals.