title: Adiponectin interactions in bone and cartilage biology and disease.
abstract: The adipokine adiponectin promotes insulin sensitivity and fat β-oxidation. In addition to its metabolic effects, adiponectin is an important local and systemic modulator of bone remodeling and cartilage biology, involving direct and indirect mechanisms and a large set of downstream molecular signals. Moreover, data suggest that changes in adiponectin signaling may be associated with bone and cartilage diseases. Adiponectin seems to exert a negative net effect on bone mass and to be an independent predictor of lower bone mass, whereas available data about actions on cartilage are more controversial, showing both pro- and anti-inflammatory actions. Adiponectin-bone cross talk seems to be reciprocal, as osteocalcin, produced by osteoblasts, has been shown to stimulate adiponectin expression and to improve glucose tolerance. Adiponectin-related signaling in bone and cartilage should be considered within the network of hormonal and nutritional signals that may influence skeleton biology, together with body homeostasis and adipose mass changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruscica
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steffani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magni
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D050154:Adiposity; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D015519:Bone Density; D001847:Bone Diseases; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism; D002357:Cartilage Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin