title: Increased visfatin messenger ribonucleic acid and protein levels in adipose tissue and adipocytes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: parallel increase in plasma visfatin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted metabolic disease linked with insulin resistance (IR) and obesity. Recent studies have shown that plasma levels of the insulin-mimetic adipokine visfatin increase with obesity. Currently, no data exist on the relative expression of visfatin in either plasma or adipose tissue of PCOS women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the mRNA expression of visfatin from sc and omental (om) adipose tissue and sc adipocytes in women with PCOS compared with matched normal women, as well as visfatin protein in adipose tissue; plasma visfatin was also assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to assess the relative mRNA and protein expression of visfatin. Biochemical measurements were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant up-regulation of visfatin mRNA in both sc (P < 0.05) and om (P < 0.05) adipose tissue of PCOS women, when compared with normal controls; these findings were also reflected in isolated sc adipocytes (PCOS > controls; P < 0.05). In addition to elevated plasma visfatin levels in women with PCOS (mean +/- sd, 30.2 +/- 10.4 vs. 11.2 +/- 6.2 ng/ml; P < 0.01) when compared with normal controls, visfatin protein levels were significantly greater in both sc and om adipose tissue of PCOS women (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The precise reason for the up-regulation of visfatin seen in women with PCOS, a proinflammatory state, is unknown. Additional studies are needed to clarify the potential role of visfatin in the pathophysiology of PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Bee K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Digby
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Keay
authors.forename: C Richard
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Harpal S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Randeva
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens