Vaspin expression is increased in white adipose tissue (WAT) of diet-induced 
obese mice and rats and is supposed to compensate HFD-induced inflammatory 
processes and insulin resistance in adipose tissue by counteracting 
pro-inflammatory gene expression in obesity. Multiple studies have also 
demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory effects in vascular and skin cells. Here, 
we used vaspin treated 3T3-L1 murine adipocytes as well as 3T3-L1 cells with 
stable vaspin expression to investigate the effect of exogenous and endogenous 
vaspin on inflammatory processes and insulin signaling in adipocytes. Our stably 
transfected cells secreted significant amounts of vaspin which was in the 
physiological range of ∼0.5 ng/ml in cell supernatants. Adipocyte 
differentiation was not affected by vaspin as expression of adipogenic marker 
genes as well as lipid accumulation after full differentiation was similar to 
control cells. We found that IL-1β induced expression and secretion of 
pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, MCP1 and TNFα was significantly 
blunted in vaspin expressing 3T3-L1 cells. Treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with 
exogenous vaspin resulted in reduced cytokine-induced activation of the 
intracellular and pro-inflammatory NFκB signaling cascades (IKKα/β, IκB and 
NFκB). Moreover, endogenous vaspin positively affected insulin signaling by 
increasing insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the key mediator protein kinase 
B (AKT). Together, we demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects of vaspin in 3T3-L1 
adipocytes as well as increased insulin signaling by endogenous expression or 
exogenous treatment. The results provide evidence for potent anti-inflammatory 
action of vaspin not only in vascular cells but also in adipose tissue.