The hormone resistin links obesity to diabetes

CM Steppan, ST Bailey, S Bhat, EJ Brown… - Nature, 2001 - nature.com
CM Steppan, ST Bailey, S Bhat, EJ Brown, RR Banerjee, CM Wright, HR Patel, RS Ahima
Nature, 2001nature.com
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that leads to complications including heart disease,
stroke, kidney failure, blindness and nerve damage. Type 2 diabetes, characterized by target-
tissue resistance to insulin, is epidemic in industrialized societies and is strongly associated
with obesity; however, the mechanism by which increased adiposity causes insulin
resistance is unclear. Here we show that adipocytes secrete a unique signalling molecule,
which we have named resistin (for resistance to insulin). Circulating resistin levels are …
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that leads to complications including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and nerve damage. Type 2 diabetes, characterized by target-tissue resistance to insulin, is epidemic in industrialized societies and is strongly associated with obesity; however, the mechanism by which increased adiposity causes insulin resistance is unclear. Here we show that adipocytes secrete a unique signalling molecule, which we have named resistin (for resistance to insulin). Circulating resistin levels are decreased by the anti-diabetic drug rosiglitazone, and increased in diet-induced and genetic forms of obesity. Administration of anti-resistin antibody improves blood sugar and insulin action in mice with diet-induced obesity. Moreover, treatment of normal mice with recombinant resistin impairs glucose tolerance and insulin action. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by adipocytes is enhanced by neutralization of resistin and is reduced by resistin treatment. Resistin is thus a hormone that potentially links obesity to diabetes.
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