Korean J Intern Med.  2017 Mar;32(2):239-247. 10.3904/kjim.2016.229.

Linking resistin, inflammation, and cardiometabolic diseases

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Soon Chun Hyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. ahima@jhmi.edu

Abstract

Adipose tissue secretes a variety of bioactive substances that are associated with chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. While resistin was first known as an adipocyte-secreted hormone (adipokine) linked to obesity and insulin resistance in rodents, it is predominantly expressed and secreted by macrophages in humans. Epidemiological and genetic studies indicate that increased resistin levels are associated with the development of insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Resistin also appears to mediate the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by promoting endothelial dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, arterial inflammation, and the formation of foam cells. Thus, resistin is predictive of atherosclerosis and poor clinical outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease and heart failure. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that resistin is associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia and hypertension. The present review will focus on the role of human resistin in the pathogeneses of inflammation and obesity-related diseases.

Keyword

Cardiovascular diseases; Inf lammation; Obesity; Resistin; Diabetes mellitus, type 2

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Arteritis
Atherosclerosis
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cell Proliferation
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
Dyslipidemias
Foam Cells
Heart Failure
Humans
Hypertension
Inflammation*
Insulin Resistance
Macrophages
Muscle, Smooth, Vascular
Obesity
Resistin*
Rodentia
Resistin
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