Abstract

Adipose tissue is now considered as an active hormone-secreting organ, which secretes a number of biologically active adipokines such as free fatty acids, leptin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin-6, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, adiponectin and retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4). Among these, adiponectin has attracted considerable attention as an adipokine that has important role in the development of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Adiponectin was discovered to be the most abundant adipose-specific transcript. Many epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that serum levels of adiponectin are inversely associated with body weight, especially abdominal visceral fat accumulation. Studies among Japanese and Pima Indians have reported lower concentrations of adiponectin in patients with type 2 diabetes than in those with normal glucose tolerance. A low level of adiponectin was found to be a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular events in the Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. We recently published that exercise, having an insulin-sensitizing effect, could be a good therapy to prevent or delay diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in middle-aged women through the modification of adiponectin. These results suggest that the clinical implication of adiponectin. A number of studies have been conducted to clarify the biological role of adiponectin. Recent studies have showed that adiponectin has anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, and glucose-lowering properties. Taken together, it is conceivable that adiponectin plays as a backbone of metabolic syndrome. Finally, pleiotropic functions of adiponectin may possibly serve to prevent and treat atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, enhancement of adiponectin secretion or action may be a good therapeutic target for preventing type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.

• Keywords: Adipokine;Adiponectin;Atherosclerosis;Insulin resistance;Metabolic syndrome;