Liraglutide modulates adipokine expression during adipogenesis, ameliorating obesity, and polycystic ovary syndrome in mice.

PURPOSE: The incidence of obesity is increasing among all age groups throughout the world and it is highly associated with numerous other metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) etc. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using in vitro and in vivo approach, this study investigated the adipokine profile after liraglutide on differentiated murine 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Effect of liraglutide on DHEA-induced PCOS mice were investigated. This study showed Liraglutide treatment resulted in up-regulation of adiponectin and IL-6 along with down-regulation of ICAM 1 in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Liraglutide in absence of other differentiating factors, significantly increased glucose, lipid uptake and PPARγ, C/EBPα expression in the adipocytes suggesting its ability to solely promote pre-adipocyte differentiation into mature adipocyte. Liraglutide treatment showed increased adiponectin expression and decreased number of cystic follicles, body weight, circulating glucose, triglyceride and testosterone levels in comparison to the PCOS induced mice. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that adiponectin may act as a link between metabolic disorders and PCOS and that liraglutide might be a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of PCOS in addition to obesity and insulin resistance.