title: Adipose tissue as regulator of vascular tone.
abstract: Adipokines secreted by visceral, subcutaneous, and perivascular adipocytes are involved in the regulation of vascular tone by acting as circulatory hormones (leptin, adiponectin, omentin, visfatin, angiotensin II, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, apelin) and/or via local paracrine factors (perivascular adipocyte-derived relaxing and contractile factors). Vascular tone regulation by adipokines is compromised in obesitas and obesity-related disorders. Hypoxia created in growing adipose tissue dysregulates synthesis of vasoactive adipokines in favor of harmful proinflammatory adipokines, while the levels of the cardioprotective adipokines adiponectin and omentin decrease. Considering the potential of the role of adipokines in obesity-related vascular diseases, strategies to counter these diseases by targeting the adipokines are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185-Blok B (2nd Floor), 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boydens
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maenhaut
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Decaluwé
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van de Voorde
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D054392:Adipokines / Q000502:physiology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000502:physiology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D000804:Angiotensin II