AimTo examine the effect of estradiol, testosterone and progesterone on Visfatin gene and protein expression in cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes and preadipocytes.Methods0 mmol/L (sex hormones-free DMEM/F12), 10^－8 mol/L, 10^－7 mol/L and 10^－6 mol/L estradiol or testosterone or progesterone were added to cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes or preadipocytes overnight.Total RNA and proteins were extracted.Then the expression of Visfatin mRNA and protein was measured by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.ResultsOvernight incubation with estradiol increased Visfatin mRNA expression in both adipocytes (24% to 21%, p<0.05) at the concentration of 10^－8 mol/L to 10^－7 mol/L and preadipocytes (70% to 123%, p<0.01) at 10^－7 mol/L to 10^－6 mol/L, respectively.Visfatin mRNA expression increased by 28％(p<0.05) at 10^－8 mol/L testosterone in adipocytes, 76% (p<0.05) at 10^－7 mol/L testosterone in preadipocytes.Progesterone did not affect Visfatin mRNA expression on adipocytes, but had a marked increase in Visfatin expression in preadipocytes by 2.6-fold (p<0.05).In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, estradiol had small but insignificant effects on Visfatin protein expression, whereas testosterone had a much greater effect, increasing Visfatin protein by 134% at 10^－6 mol/L (p<0.05).However, progesterone significantly decreased Visfatin protein by 32% at 10^－6 mol/L (p<0.05).ConclusionsThese data suggest that Visfatin may play a physiological role in the insulin resistance caused by estradiol, testosterone or progesterone in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and preadipocytes.