Resistin Activates p65 Pathway and Reduces Glycogen Content through Keratin 8.

Resistin is associated with metabolic syndrome and inflammatory conditions. Many studies have suggested that resistin inhibits the accumulation of glycogen; however, the exact mechanisms of resistin-induced decrease in glycogen content remain unclear. Keratin 8 is a typical epithelial intermediate filament protein, but numerous studies suggest a vital role of K8 in glucose metabolism. However, it is still not known whether K8 participates in the mediation of resistin-induced reduction of cellular glycogen accumulation. In this study, we found that resistin upregulated expression of the p65 subunit of NF-B, which led to the promotion of K8 transcriptional expression; in turn, the expression of K8 inhibited glycogen accumulation in HepG2 cells.