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pubmed:abstractText |
Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The molecular mechanism linking obesity to insulin resistance is, however, unclear. Recently, a new circulating hormone resistine, which is expressed in adipose tissue, has been identified. Resistine has been shown to antagonize insulin action. Resistine levels are increased in diet-induced obesity as well as in genetic models of obesity and insulin resistance. Furthermore, resistine gene expression is markedly downregulated by treatment with anti-diabetic drugs called thiazolidinediones, that improve target-tissue sensitivity to insulin. It has been found that in human abdominal adipose tissue, which is thought to be a main risk factor for insulin resistance, amount of resistine mRNA is higher than in other fat depots. Resistine, therefore, may play a role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related insulin resistance.
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