Discrepancies in the regulation of plasma adiponectin and TNF-alpha levels and adipose tissue gene expression in obese African Americans with glucose intolerance: a pilot study using rosiglitazone.

Abstract

Rosiglitazone improved glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance in high-risk African Americans. We found that adiponectin was lower in the glucose-intolerant group, while TNF-alpha was similar. While rosiglitazone increased plasma adiponectin, it had no effect on adipose tissue adiponectin mRNA. In addition, rosiglitazone had no effect on plasma TNF-alpha and adipose tissue TNF-alpha mRNA. We conclude that the metabolic effects of rosiglitazone could be mediated by adiponectin but not TNF-alpha in African Americans with glucose intolerance. Our study demonstrates that: 1) the role of adipocytokines in the etiology of type 2 diabetes in African Americans is complex; and 2) that adiponectin, but not TNF-alpha, could mediate the metabolic benefits of thiazolidinediones in African Americans with glucose intolerance.