title: Alcohol intake modulates hormonal activity of adipose tissue.
abstract: White adipose tissue (WAT) is now recognized as a highly active metabolic tissue and important endocrine organ producing numerous peptides and proteins with broad biological activity. The term adipokines has been coined to refer to a series of adipocyte-derived biologically active molecules, which may influence the function as well as the structural integrity of other tissues. Adipokines are implicated in control of food intake, energy balance and body weight (leptin), glucose homeostasis (e.g., adiponectin, resistin, adiponutrin), lipid metabolism (e.g., retinol-binding protein, cholesterolester transfer protein), angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF), fibrinolytic system (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 PAI-1), pro- and anti-inflammatory effects (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-alpha TNF-alpha, interleukin-6 IL-6) or sexual development and reproduction (leptin). Alterations of WAT mass in obesity or lipoatrophy effect the production of most adipose secreted factors. Besides others, alcohol consumption affects also hormonal system leading to non-physiological increase/decrease of hormone gene expression and plasma hormone concentrations appearing as final poor or stronger effects on target tissues. As mentioned above, white adipose tissue is important endocrine organ, so alcohol intake can alter also adipokines expression in WAT and adipokines plasma levels and in this way it can affect the adipokine-targeted tissues and their functions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Vlárska 3, 833 06 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. ueenelis@savba.sk
authors.forename: Eliska
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pravdova
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fickova
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D052242:Adiponectin / Q000378:metabolism; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D052243:Resistin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D016207:Cytokines; D020738:Leptin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D052243:Resistin; C436316:adiponutrin; D000431:Ethanol; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human