title: Adiponectin oligomers as potential indicators of adipose tissue improvement in obese subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adiponectin is an adipocytokine that exerts beneficial effects on obesity and related disorders by two receptors (ADIPORs). Adiponectin is produced as a monomer that circulates in serum as different oligomers. The oligomerization state and the tissue expression of adiponectin and ADIPORs are linked to its biological activities. In this study, the levels of total adiponectin and its oligomers were evaluated in relation to obesity and surgical weight loss. The expression of adiponectin and ADIPORs was analyzed in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues of obese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 25 obese patients and 44 age- and sex-matched controls, the serum levels of adiponectin and its oligomers were measured and compared by ELISA, western blotting, and gel filtration. The expression of adiponectin and ADIPORs in both adipose tissues was evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The amount of each adiponectin oligomer, including the monomer, increases after weight loss. The reduced circulating levels of adiponectin and its oligomers are not associated with the adipose tissue depot-specific expression of adiponectin and ADIPORs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that in patients, adiposity is associated with the serum concentrations of adiponectin and its oligomers but not with adipose tissue depot-specific expression of adiponectin and ADIPORs. In particular, the increase in adiponectin monomer levels could probably be related to the improvement of the whole-body energy metabolism then being involved in the improvement of adipose tissue function after weight loss. This work indicates the importance of assessing the whole adiponectin oligomeric profile as further potential indicators of adipose tissue functions in obesity.
authors.affiliation: CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Scarl, Via Gaetano Salvatore 486, 80145 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: Maria Ludovica
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Forestieri
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pilone
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nardelli
authors.forename: Pasqualina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buono
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daniele
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D005260:Female; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; C475418:ADIPOR1 protein, human; C475420:ADIPOR2 protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054419:Receptors, Adiponectin