Prohibitin in Adipose and Immune Functions

Prohibitin (PHB) was discovered in a quest to find genes with antiproliferative functions. However, the attribute of PHB that is responsible for its antiproliferative function remains elusive. Meanwhile, recent studies have established PHB as a pleiotropic protein with roles in metabolism, immunity, and senescence. PHB has cell compartment-specific functions, acting as a scaffolding protein in mitochondria, an adaptor molecule in membrane signaling, and a transcriptional coregulator in the nucleus. However, it remains unclear whether different functions and locations of PHB are interrelated or independent from each other, or if PHB works in a tissue-specific manner. Here, we discuss new findings on the role of PHB in adipose-immune interaction and an unexpected role in sex differences in adipose and immune functions.