Adipokines and insulin action: A sensitive issue.
Obesity is a major public health concern and a strong risk factor for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and cardiovascular disease. The last two decades have seen a reconsideration of the role of white adipose tissue (WAT) in whole body metabolism and insulin action. Adipose tissue-derived cytokines and hormones, or adipokines, are likely mediators of metabolic function and dysfunction. While several adipokines have been associated with obese and insulin-resistant phenotypes, a select group has been linked with insulin sensitivity, namely leptin, adiponectin, and more recently, adipolin. What is known about these insulin-sensitizing molecules and their effects in healthy and insulin resistant states is the subject of this review. There remains a significant amount of research to do to fully elucidate the mechanisms of action of these adipokines for development of therapeutics in metabolic disease.
School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney, NSW Australia.
Alexander J
AJ
Knights
School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney, NSW Australia.
Alister Pw
AP
Funnell
School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney, NSW Australia.
Richard Cm
RC
Pearson
School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney, NSW Australia.
Merlin
M
Crossley
School of Molecular Bioscience; University of Sydney; Sydney, NSW Australia.
Kim S
KS
Bell-Anderson
adipokines; adipolin; adiponectin; diabetes; insulin resistance; leptin; obesity