OBJECTIVETo detect the effect of resistin on the transcription of insulin receptor promoter.

METHODSLuciferase reporter gene was fused downstream of human insulin receptor promoter and the enzymatic activity of luciferase was determined in the presence or absence of resistin. The resistin expressed with plasmid was stained with antibody against Myc tag which was in frame fused with resistin coding sequence, and then imaged with confocal microscopy.

RESULTSThe treatment of pIRP-LUC transfected cells with recombinant resistin did not result in significant difference in the enzymatic activity of luciferase compared to the untreated cells. Cell staining showed that green fluorescence could be observed in the cytoplasm, but not in the nucleus.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that the endogenous resistin may functionally locate in the cytoplasm, but does not enter the nucleus and not down-regulate the transcription of insulin receptor promoter.