Submitted on March 10, 2006
Accepted on June 29, 2006
Visfatin mRNA expression in human subcutaneous adipose tissue is regulated by exercise
Lone Frydelund-Larsen1, Thorbjorn Akerstrom1, Soren Nielsen1, PERNILLE KELLER2, Charlotte Keller1, and Bente Klarlund Pedersen1*
1 The Centre of Inflammation and Metabolism, Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
2 The Centre of Inflammation and Metabolism, Dept. of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; The Copenhagen Muscle research Center, The University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bkp{at}rh.dk.
Visfatin (pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor, PBEF) is a novel adipokine that is produced by adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and liver and has insulin-mimetic actions. Regular exercise enhances insulin sensitivity. In the present study, we therefore examined visfatin mRNA expression in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and skeletal muscle biopsies obtained from healthy young men at the time points 0; 3; 4.5; 6; 9 and 24 h in relation to either 3 h of ergometer cycle exercise at 60% of VO2max, or rest. Adipose tissue visfatin mRNA expression increased 3-fold at the time points 3; 4.5 and 6 h in response to exercise (n=8) when compared to pre-exercise samples, and when compared to the resting control group (n=7) (P=0.001). Visfatin mRNA expression in skeletal muscle was not influenced by exercise. The exercise-induced increase in adipose tissue visfatin was however not accompanied with elevated levels of plasma visfatin. Recombinant human rhIL-6 infusion to mimic the exercise-induced IL-6 response (n=6) had no effect on visfatin mRNA expression in adipose tissue when compared to the effect of placebo infusion (n=6). The finding that exercise enhances subcutaneous adipose tissue visfatin mRNA expression suggests that visfatin has a local metabolic role in the recovery period following exercise
