Low prolactin levels are associated with visceral adipocyte hypertrophy and insulin resistance in humans

Purpose Low prolactin (PRL) serum levels are associated with glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes in adults, and with metabolic syndrome and obesity in children. In obese rodents, PRL treatment promotes insulin sensitivity by maintaining adipose tissue fitness, and lack of PRL signaling exacerbates obesity-derived metabolic alterations. Since adipose tissue dysfunction is a key factor triggering metabolic alterations, we evaluated whether PRL serum levels are associated with adipocyte hypertrophy (a marker of adipose tissue dysfunction), insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome in lean, overweight, and obese adult men and women.