Resistin - the role in development of insulin resistance - facts and controversy

Abstract

In a view of recent studies adipose tissue should be treated as endocrine organ producing many active substances. It is postulated that one of them - resistin can play potential role in the mechanism leading to insulin resistance. The resistin gene, located on 19 chromosome locus 13.2, consist of 4 exons. Some studies using mice model of obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes have suggested that resistin could be an important link between increased fat mass and insulin resistance. However, there are not many available data from studies of blood resistin concentrations in human, and it is not clear whether the physiology of resistin in mice is relevant to that in human. The resistin plasma concentration is increased in obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance. Resistin, which has recently been proposed to play a role in obesity-mediated insulin resistance, has a structure similar to that of proteins that are involved in inflammatory processes. The role of resistin in physiology and patology connected with metabolic disorders and its consequences requires further studies.