Resistin levels in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with lipoatrophy decrease in response to rosiglitazone.

Resistin is a recently recognized adipocytokine thought to contribute to insulin resistance. We determined resistin levels and metabolic parameters in 24 HIV-infected men and women with lipoatrophy and hyperinsulinemia and studied the effect of 12 wk of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist rosiglitazone (4-8 mg/d) on resistin in these subjects. Participants completed metabolic testing before and after rosiglitazone including fasting determination of resistin, adiponectin, and leptin levels, serum inflammatory markers, and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp testing. Resistin concentration decreased significantly after rosiglitazone (12.17 +/- 1.15 ng/ml to 10.23 +/- 1.05 ng/ml; P = 0.02), in conjunction with significant increases in adiponectin- (P < 0.001) and insulin- stimulated glucose disposal (P = 0.004). Leptin levels, as well as TNF-alpha, did not change with rosiglitazone. In summary, among HIV-infected subjects with insulin resistance and lipoatrophy, resistin levels decreased significantly after rosiglitazone. Further investigation into the physiological role of this peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma-responsive adipocytokine in the metabolic abnormalities associated with HIV is warranted.