Effects of rosiglitazone on adiponectin expression in cultured adipocytes of obese patients

AIM:To investigate the effects of rosiglitazone (RSG) on adiponectin expression in cultured adipocytes of obese patients. METHODS: Subjects were divided into two groups: normal body weight and obese subjects according to body mass index. Adipose tissue was obtained after informed consent from adult patients undergoing elective liposuction in the Department of Plastic Surgery. Human preadipocytes were isolated and cultured for several days and then induced to differentiate into adipocytes with special culture medium supplemented with insulin, dexamethasone, T3 and IBMX. Adipocytes were randomly divided into control group and RSG group. Adipocytes in RSG group were then treated with RSG at a final concentration of 10 mol/L for different time durations (12, 24, 48 and 72 h). Adiponectin concentrations in the supernatant were measured by ELISA, and the adiponectin mRNA expression of adipocytes was tested by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Adiponectin mRNA expression and protein secretion were significantly decreased in obese patients compared with patients of normal body weight (P<0.05). Compared with control group, adiponectin mRNA expression and protein secretion in RSG group significantly increased in a time-dependent manner (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, duration of the increase in obese patients was shorter than in patients of normal body weight (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: To some extent, RSG increases adiponectin expression in cultured adipocytes of obese patients.