Adipocytokines and liver disease

Adipose tissue is a massive source of bioactive substances known as adipocytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, resistin, leptin, and adiponectin. Recent advances in medical research view obesity as a chronic low-grade inflammatory state. Hypertrophied adipocytes in obesity release chemokines that induce macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue. Accumulated macrophages in obese adipose tissue produce proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide, and these inflammatory changes induce adipocytokine dysregulation. The latter is characterized by a decrease in insulinsensitizing and anti-inflammatory adipocytokines, and an increase in proinflammatory adipocytokines. Adipocytokine dysregulation induces obesity-related metabolic disorders, the so-called metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Recent studies have revealed that obesity is an independent risk factor for chronic liver diseases, such as NASH, alcoholic liver disease, chronic hepatitis C, and hepatocellular carcinoma. A common mechanism underlying these hepatic clinical states is thought to be adipocytokine dysregulation. In this review, we discuss the association of adipocytokines, especially leptin, adiponectin, TNF-alpha, and resistin, with liver diseases.