Resistin gene expression in human adipocytes is not related to insulin resistance.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Recently, a newly described circulating hormone resistin, which is expressed primarily in adipocytes, has been shown to antagonize insulin action in mice. Resistin, therefore, has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance.


METHODS
We studied the expression of the resistin gene in primary cultured human adipocytes and preadipocytes. We also examined resistin gene expression in subcutaneous abdominal adipocytes in women (n = 24) over a wide range of body weight and insulin sensitivity.


RESULTS
Whereas resistin gene expression was barely detectable in mature adipocytes, it was highly expressed in preadipocytes. Adipogenic differentiation of preadipocytes was associated with a time-dependent down-regulation of resistin gene expression. There was no relationship between body weight, insulin sensitivity, or other metabolic parameters and adipocyte resistin gene expression in the clinical study.


CONCLUSIONS
Together these findings do not support an important role of adipose-tissue resistin gene expression in human insulin resistance.
Janke
Jürgen
J
Franz Volhard Clinic-Charité, the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
Engeli
Stefan
S
Gorzelniak
Kerstin
K
Luft
Friedrich C
FC
Sharma
Arya M
AM
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology; D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D052243:Resistin
D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C499624:RETN protein, human; C486574:RETNLB protein, human; D052243:Resistin