Is resistin the master link between inflammation and inflammation-related chronic diseases?

Resistin has been firstly discovered in mice and was identified as an adipose tissue-secreted hormone or adipokine linking obesity and insulin resistance. In humans, resistin has been characterized as a hormone expressed and secreted by Immune cells especially by macrophages, and was linked to many inflammatory responses including inflammation of adipose tissue due to macrophages' infiltration. Human and mouse resistin display sequence and structural similarities and also dissimilarities that could explain their different expression pattern. In mice, strong pieces of evidence clearly associated high resistin plasma levels to obesity and insulin resistance suggesting that resistin could play an important role in the onset and progression of obesity and insulin resistance via resistin-induced inflammation. In humans, the link between resistin and obesity/insulin resistance is still a matter of debate and needs more epidemiological studies. Also, resistin has been linked to other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers where resistin has been proposed in many studies as a biological marker.

Automated summary

Resistin was initially discovered in mice and was found to be related to obesity and insulin resistance as a hormone secreted by adipose tissue. In humans, Resistin is expressed by immune cells, especially macrophages, and is associated with inflammatory responses. Although in mice there is evidence linking Resistin to obesity and insulin resistance, in humans the association is still debated and requires more epidemiological studies. Resistin has also been linked to other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers and has been considered as a biological marker in many studies.