Involvement of resveratrol in crosstalk between adipokine adiponectin and hepatokine fetuin-A in vivo and in vitro

Metabolic homeostasis is maintained by the coordinated regulation of several physiological processes and organ crosstalk. Especially, the interaction between adipose tissue and liver is critical for the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. This study investigated the involvement of resveratrol (RSV) in the crosstalk between adipokine adiponectin and hepatokine fetuin-A. Adipocytes-hepatocytes co-culture system and a high-fat (HF) diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model were utilized. Protein levels of adiponectin and fetuin-A were analyzed in adipocytes and hepatocytes with the knockdown of adiponectin and fetuin-A, respectively. After six weeks of the HF diet treatment, RSV was delivered via an osmotic pump for four weeks. The experimental groups were lean control fed with a standard diet, HF diet-induced obese control and HF_RSV (8 mg/kg/day). After 4 weeks of each treatment, blood and tissues were collected, and the levels of adiponectin and fetuin-A were analyzed. RNA interference during co-culture of adipocytes and hepatocytes demonstrated the existence of crosstalk between adiponectin and fetuin-A. The four-week RSV treatment resulted in increased serum adiponectin and decreased serum fetuin-A in diet-induced obesity mice. The serum levels of adiponectin and fetuin-A were inversely related. In epididymal fat depots, RSV increased adiponectin, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) alpha, PPAR gamma, sirtuin1 and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). RSV lowered fetuin-A and NF-κB, and increased liver AMPK. These results demonstrate the crosstalk between adiponectin and fetuin-A, and suggest that RSV may be involved in adipose tissue and liver crosstalk through the interaction between adiponectin and fetuin-A.