Association of adiponectin and resistin with adipose tissue compartments, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia

AIM: In this study, we investigated the association of plasma adiponectin and resistin concentrations with adipose tissue compartments in 41 free-living men with a wide range of body mass index (22-35 kg/m(2)). METHODS: Using enzyme immunoassays, plasma adiponectin and resistin were measured. Intraperitoneal, retroperitoneal, subcutaneous abdominal and posterior subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue masses (IPATM, RPATM, SAATM and PSAATM, respectively) were determined using magnetic resonance imaging. Total adipose tissue mass (TATM) was measured using bioelectrical impedance. Insulin resistance was estimated with the help of homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) score. RESULTS: In univariate regression, plasma adiponectin levels were inversely related to IPATM (r = -0.389, p < 0.05), SAATM (r = -0.500, p < 0.001), PSAATM (r = -0.502, p < 0.001), anterior SAATM (r = -0.422, p < 0.01) and TATM (r = -0.421, p < 0.01). In multiple regression models, adiponectin was chiefly correlated with PSAATM. Plasma adiponectin concentrations were also inversely correlated with HOMA score (r = -0.540, p < 0.001) and triglyceride (r = -0.632, p < 0.001), and positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.508, p < 0.001). There were no significant correlations between resistin levels and adipose tissue masses, insulin resistance or dyslipidaemia. CONCLUSIONS: In men, total body fat is significantly correlated with plasma adiponectin, but not with plasma resistin levels. Low plasma adiponectin levels appear to be chiefly determined by the accumulation of posterior subcutaneous abdominal fat mass, as opposed to intra-abdominal fat, and are strongly predictive of insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia.