title: Signalling role of adipose tissue: adipokines and inflammation in obesity.
abstract: White adipose tissue (WAT) is a major endocrine and secretory organ, which releases a wide range of protein signals and factors termed adipokines. A number of adipokines, including leptin, adiponectin, tumour necrosis factor alpha, IL-1beta (interleukin 1beta), IL-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, nerve growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and haptoglobin, are linked to inflammation and the inflammatory response. Obesity is characterized by a state of chronic mild inflammation, with raised circulating levels of inflammatory markers and the expression and release of inflammation-related adipokines generally rises as adipose tissue expands (adiponectin, which has anti-inflammatory action is an exception). The elevated production of inflammation-related adipokines is increasingly considered to be important in the development of diseases linked to obesity, particularly Type II diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. WAT is involved in extensive cross-talk with other organs and multiple metabolic systems through the various adipokines.
authors.affiliation: Obesity Biology Unit, Liverpool Centre for Nutritional Genomics, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Duncan Building, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK. p.trayhurn@liverpool.ac.uk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trayhurn
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides