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背景
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Adipose cells produce and secrete numerous physiologically important proteins, such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL), leptin and adiponectin protein of 30 kDa. Adiponectin is a circulating protein that is secreted exclusively by differentiated adipocytes. During adipocyte differentiation, mRNA levels of Adiponectin have been shown to be induced over 100-fold. Studies indicate that Adiponectin enhances the ability of sub-physiological levels of insulin to suppress glucose production, thus linking adipose tissue to whole body glucose regulation. Adiponectin function appears to be regulated by phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-K) since Adiponectin secretion is blocked by pharmacologic inhibitors of this kinase. mRNA levels of Adiponectin have been shown to be significantly reduced in adipose tissue of obese patients with Type 2 diabetes relative to control subjects. Structural similarities to TNFalpha suggests that Adiponectin may play a role in pathogenesis of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes. Because Adiponectin is down-regulated in various forms of obesity and its structural similarity to TNFalpha, it is currently being investigated as an important regulator of whole body energy homeostasis.
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