Related Experiment Videos
Hypoadiponectinemia: a common basis for diseases associated with overnutrition.
Tohru Funahashi1, Yuji Matsuzawa
1Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2,Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. tohru@imed2.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Current Atherosclerosis Reports
|August 12, 2006
Summary
Adiponectin, a protein from fat tissue, has anti-diabetic and anti-atherogenic effects. Low levels (hypoadiponectinemia) are linked to diabetes, hypertension, and obesity-related cancers.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Biology
Background:
- Adiponectin is a plasma protein secreted by adipose tissue.
- It circulates at high concentrations and possesses antiatherogenic and antidiabetic properties.
- Low adiponectin levels are observed in individuals with excess abdominal fat.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of adiponectin in metabolic and cardiovascular health.
- To explore the association between adiponectin levels and various diseases.
Main Methods:
- Discovery of adiponectin from a human adipose cDNA library.
- Measurement of plasma adiponectin concentrations.
- Review of clinical studies on adiponectin and disease risk.
Main Results:
- Adiponectin exhibits antiatherogenic effects, inhibiting vascular cell adhesion molecule expression, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and macrophage cholesteryl-ester accumulation.
- Plasma adiponectin levels positively correlate with insulin sensitivity.
- Hypoadiponectinemia is a risk factor for new-onset diabetes, salt-sensitive hypertension, hypertensive heart failure, and obesity-related cancers (breast, colon, uterine, prostate).
Conclusions:
- Adiponectin plays a crucial role in maintaining metabolic and cardiovascular health.
- Hypoadiponectinemia is implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple diseases associated with overnutrition.
- Adiponectin levels may serve as a biomarker for disease risk.