Resistin messenger-RNA expression is increased by proinflammatory cytokines in vitro

• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2003.07.003
• Publication Date: 2003-09-11T23:30:03Z
• Authors: S Kaser; A Kaser; A Sandhofer; C.F Ebenbichler; H Tilg; J.R Patsch
• Keywords: Resistin; Proinflammatory cytokine

Resistin is a recently discovered polypeptide that induces insulin resistance in rodents. While in rodents resistin is predominantly expressed in adipocytes, in humans peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) seem to a be a major source of resistin. In the present study, we show that in human PBMC resistin mRNA expression-determined by fluorescence-based real-time polymerase chain reaction-is strongly increased by the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and also by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), respectively, while no effect was found by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or leptin. Our results suggest that in humans resistin may be a link in the well-known association between inflammation and insulin resistance.