Adipocytokines and Metabolic Syndrome

ABSTRACT

Recently, adipocytes have been shown to be endocrine cells that secrete a variety of bioactive substances-the so-called adipocytokines. Among adipocytokines, tumor necrotizing factor α, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor are produced in adipocytes as well as already known organs, and they contribute to the development of vascular diseases. Visfatin is a very recently discovered visceral fat-specific protein that may be related to the development of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. In contrast to these adipocytokines, adiponectin, also a newfound adipose tissue-specific collagen-like protein, has been noted recently as an important antiatherogenic as well as antidiabetic protein. The function of adipocytokine secretion might be regulated dynamically by nutritional state. Visceral fat accumulation causes dysfunction of adipocytes including oversecretion of tumor necrotizing factor α, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, as well as hyposecretion of adiponectin, which results in the development of a variety of metabolic and circulatory diseases. In this review, the importance of adipocytokines, including adiponectin, is discussed with respect to atherosclerosis.

KEYWORDS

Adipocytokine - TNF-α - visfatin - adiponectin - visceral fat

REFERENCES

• 1 Matsuzawa Y M. Pathophysiology and molecular mechanism of visceral fat syndrome: the Japanese case.  Diabetes Metab Rev. 1997;  13 3-13
• 2 Shimomura I, Funahashi T, Takahashi et al.. Enhanced expression of PAI-1 in visceral fat: possible contribution to vascular disease in obesity.  Nat Med. 1996;  2 1-5
• 3 Uysal K T, Wiesblock S M, Mario M W, Hotamisligil G S. Protection from obesity-induced insulin resistance in mice lacking TNF-alpha function.  Nature. 1997;  389 610-614
• 4 Lindsay R S, Funahashi T, Hanson R L et al.. Adiponectin and development of type 2 diabetes in the Pima Indian population.  Lancet. 2002;  360 57-58
• 5 Ouchi N, Kihara S, Arita Y et al.. Novel modulator for endothelial adhesion molecules: adipocyte-derived plasma protein.  Circulation. 1999;  100 2473-2476
• 6 Okamoto Y, Kihara S, Ouchi N et al.. Adiponectin reduces atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.  Circulation. 2002;  26 2767-2770
• 7 Kumada M, Kihara S, Sumitsuji S et al.. Association of hypoadiponectinemia with coronary artery disease in men.  Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2004;  23 85-89
• 8 Pischon T, Girman C J, Hotamisligil G S et al.. Plasma adiponectin levels and risk of myocardial infarction in men.  JAMA. 2004;  291 1709-1710
• 9 Shimomura I, Hammer R E, Ikemoto S et al.. Leptin reverses insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus in mice with congenital lipodystrophy.  Nature. 1999;  401 73-76
• 10 Steppan C M, Bailey S T, Bhat S et al.. The hormone resistin links with obesity.  Nature. 2001;  409 292-293
• 11 Matsuzawa Y M, Funahashi T, Kihara S, Shimomura I. Adioinectin and metabolic syndrome.  Arterioscler Thrombo Vasc Med. 2004;  24 29-34
• 12 Fukuhara A, Matsuda M, Nihizawa M et al.. Visfatin: a protein secreted by visceral fat that mimics the effect of insulin.  Science. 2005;  307 426-430