title: The Role of Adipocytokines in Coronary Atherosclerosis.
abstract: The aim of this review is to overview the pathophysiological role of adipocytokines in atherogenesis, focusing on their potential role as biomarkers of coronary disease.
  
  
  
  Several lines of evidence indicated adipose tissue not only as depot but rather as an endocrine organ. In this context, the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory adipocytokines has been shown to critically regulate vascular homeostasis in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Overweight and obesity are characterized by dysfunctional adipose tissue and then the prevalence of pro-inflammatory mediators, with a detrimental effect on vascular health. As opposite to adiponectin, pro-inflammatory adipocytokines, such as leptin and resistin, promote endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory processes involved in atherosclerotic plaque progression and vulnerability. Therefore, many adipocytokines have been investigated as potential biomarkers of cardiovascular (CV) risk, but their role has not yet been clearly established. Furthermore, the perivascular adipose tissue recently emerged as a critical modulator of atherosclerotic processes, due to the close interaction with the underlying vascular tissue. The ongoing discovery of new adipocytokines and the complex pathophysiological role of the different adipose tissue depots strongly contribute to define the complexity of adipocytokines network. Understanding those complex interactions may allow determining new potential biomarkers of CV risk and potential therapeutic targets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liberale
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonaventura
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchiè
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casula
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy.|First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa and IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino-IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, 10 Largo Benzi, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dallegri
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy.|First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa and IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino-IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, 10 Largo Benzi, 16132, Genoa, Italy.|Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research (CEBR), University of Genoa, 9 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montecucco
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy. federico.carbone@edu.unige.it.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carbone
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines
keywords: Adipocytokines; Adipose tissue; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular risk; Coronary arteries; Perivascular adipose tissue