title: Recent advances in the measurement of adiponectin isoform distribution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adiponectin has potent antidiabetic and antiatherosclerotic actions. Recent studies in animals and humans suggest that the high-molecular weight adiponectin complex, consisting of many adiponectin monomers, is the biologically active form of the peptide. This article will present recent methodological approaches for analyzing adiponectin isoform distribution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A handful of methods have been used for the isolation and measurement of high-molecular weight adiponectin, based on velocity gradient centrifugation, gel filtration chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Recently, two novel sandwich enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assays have been developed. The first makes use of antibodies raised against human high-molecular weight adiponectin and thus allows for the specific determination of high-molecular weight adiponectin in plasma. The second and more versatile enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay system enables the measurement of all adiponectin isoforms (i.e. low, middle and high-molecular weight) by means of selective digestion by proteases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development and commercial availability of novel enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay kits enables the easy and rapid measurement of high-molecular weight adiponectin in both research and clinical practice and will undoubtedly advance further our understanding of the role of adiponectin in health and disease.
authors: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors: Faidon
authors: F
authors: Magkos
authors: Labros S
authors: LS
authors: Sidossis
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008970:Molecular Weight; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D020033:Protein Isoforms
chemical_list: C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D020033:Protein Isoforms