Mediators of Inflammation
Volume 2008 (2008), Article ID 892864, 8 pages
doi:10.1155/2008/892864
Research Article

Peripheral Mononuclear Cell Resistin mRNA Expression Is Increased in Type 2 Diabetic Women

Panayoula C. Tsiotra,1 Constantine Tsigos,1 Eleni Anastasiou,2 Eleni Yfanti,1 Eleni Boutati,3 Emmanouil Souvatzoglou,2 Ioannis Kyrou,1 and Sotirios A. Raptis1

1Division of Basic Sciences, Hellenic National Center for the Research, Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Complications (HNDC), 10675 Athens, Greece
2Department of Internal Medicine, First Endocrine Section and Diabetes Centre, “Alexandra” Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
3Second Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Diabetes Center, Athens University Medical School, “Attikon” University General Hospital, Haidari, 11527 Athens, Greece

Received 22 July 2008; Accepted 9 October 2008

Academic Editor: V. L. Petricevich

Copyright © 2008 Panayoula C. Tsiotra et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Resistin has been shown to cause insulin resistance and to impair glucose tolerance in rodents, but in humans its physiological role still remains elusive. The aim of this study was to examine whether resistin mRNA expression in human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and its corresponding plasma levels are altered in type 2 diabetes. Resistin mRNA levels were easily detectable in human PBMC, and found to be higher in DM2 compared to healthy women (P=.05). Similarly, mononuclear mRNA levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 were all significantly higher in DM2 compared to control women (P<.001). The corresponding plasma resistin levels were slightly, but not significantly, increased in DM2 women (P=.051), and overall, they correlated significantly with BMI (r=0.406, P=.010) and waist circumference (r=0.516, P=.003), but not with fasting insulin levels or HOMA-IR. Resistin mRNA expression is increased in PBMC from DM2 women, together with increased expression of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6, independent of obesity. These results suggest that resistin and cytokines might contribute to the low-grade inflammation and the increased atherogenic risk observed in these patients.