The mRNA-binding protein Zfp36 is upregulated by β-adrenergic stimulation and represses IL-6 production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Obesity produces a chronic inflammatory state that contributes to the development of diabetes and atherosclerosis. In obese humans, fat depot adipocytes and macrophages produce inflammatory cytokines and other factors which exert unfavorable local and systemic immune responses. The expression of many cytokines is modulated at the post-transcriptional level by mRNA-binding proteins which recognize AU-rich elements (AREs) in the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTR) of these transcripts.