Adipokines: a Link Between Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease

Overview

Journal J Cardiol

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Cardiology & Vascular Diseases

Date 2013 Dec 21

PMID 24355497

Citations 225

Authors

Kazuto Nakamura

Jose J Fuster

Kenneth Walsh

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Obesity is a risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and myocardial infarction. Recent studies aimed at understanding the microenvironment of adipose tissue and its impact on systemic metabolism have shed light on the pathogenesis of obesity-linked cardiovascular diseases. Adipose tissue functions as an endocrine organ by secreting multiple immune-modulatory proteins known as adipokines. Obesity leads to increased expression of pro-inflammatory adipokines and diminished expression of anti-inflammatory adipokines, resulting in the development of a chronic, low-grade inflammatory state. This adipokine imbalance is thought to be a key event in promoting both systemic metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. This review will focus on the adipose tissue microenvironment and the role of adipokines in modulating systemic inflammatory responses that contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Citing Articles

Can Exercise-Mediated Adipose Browning Provide an Alternative Explanation for the Obesity Paradox?.

Zhao J, Li X, Liang C, Yan Y Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(5).

PMID: 40076419 PMC: 11898606. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26051790.

N-terminal domain of CTRP9 promotes cardiac fibroblast activation in myocardial infarction via Rap1/Mek/Erk pathway.

Tan Y, Li H, Cao G, Xin J, Yan D, Liu Y J Transl Med. 2025; 23(1):300.

PMID: 40065407 PMC: 11892279. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-025-06274-z.

Risk Factors and Long-Term Outcomes of Acute Kidney Disease in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant-Cohort Study.

Rodrigues N, Branco C, Sousa G, Silva M, Costa C, Marques F Cancers (Basel). 2025; 17(3).

PMID: 39941904 PMC: 11816487. DOI: 10.3390/cancers17030538.

Circulating hs-CRP, IL-18, Chemerin, Leptin, and Adiponectin Levels Reflect Cardiometabolic Dysfunction in Adults with Excess Weight.

Lara-Guzman O, Arango-Gonzalez A, Alvarez-Quintero R, Escobar J, Munoz-Durango K, Sierra J Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(3).

PMID: 39940942 PMC: 11818792. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26031176.

Increased plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and altered inflammatory mediators reveal a pro-inflammatory state in overweight women.

Metz C, Brines M, Xue X, Chatterjee P, Adelson R, Roth J BMC Womens Health. 2025; 25(1):57.

PMID: 39930423 PMC: 11809003. DOI: 10.1186/s12905-025-03588-4.

References

Winer D, Winer S, Shen L, Wadia P, Yantha J, Paltser G . B cells promote insulin resistance through modulation of T cells and production of pathogenic IgG antibodies. Nat Med. 2011; 17(5):610-7. PMC: 3270885. DOI: 10.1038/nm.2353. View

Barouch L, Berkowitz D, Harrison R, ODonnell C, Hare J . Disruption of leptin signaling contributes to cardiac hypertrophy independently of body weight in mice. Circulation. 2003; 108(6):754-9. DOI: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000083716.82622.FD. View

Chatterjee T, Stoll L, Denning G, Harrelson A, Blomkalns A, Idelman G . Proinflammatory phenotype of perivascular adipocytes: influence of high-fat feeding. Circ Res. 2009; 104(4):541-9. PMC: 2742882. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.108.182998. View

Okamoto Y, Folco E, Minami M, Wara A, Feinberg M, Sukhova G . Adiponectin inhibits the production of CXC receptor 3 chemokine ligands in macrophages and reduces T-lymphocyte recruitment in atherogenesis. Circ Res. 2007; 102(2):218-25. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.107.164988. View

Kleinbongard P, Schulz R, Heusch G . TNFα in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion, remodeling and heart failure. Heart Fail Rev. 2010; 16(1):49-69. DOI: 10.1007/s10741-010-9180-8. View

Arita Y, Kihara S, Ouchi N, Takahashi M, Maeda K, Miyagawa J . Paradoxical decrease of an adipose-specific protein, adiponectin, in obesity. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1999; 257(1):79-83. DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1999.0255. View

Hotamisligil G . Inflammation and metabolic disorders. Nature. 2006; 444(7121):860-7. DOI: 10.1038/nature05485. View

Enomoto T, Ohashi K, Shibata R, Higuchi A, Maruyama S, Izumiya Y . Adipolin/C1qdc2/CTRP12 protein functions as an adipokine that improves glucose metabolism. J Biol Chem. 2011; 286(40):34552-8. PMC: 3186379. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M111.277319. View

Iwashima Y, Katsuya T, Ishikawa K, Ouchi N, Ohishi M, Sugimoto K . Hypoadiponectinemia is an independent risk factor for hypertension. Hypertension. 2004; 43(6):1318-23. DOI: 10.1161/01.HYP.0000129281.03801.4b. View

10.

Ohta H, Wada H, Niwa T, Kirii H, Iwamoto N, Fujii H . Disruption of tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene diminishes the development of atherosclerosis in ApoE-deficient mice. Atherosclerosis. 2005; 180(1):11-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2004.11.016. View

11.

Ouchi N, Higuchi A, Ohashi K, Oshima Y, Gokce N, Shibata R . Sfrp5 is an anti-inflammatory adipokine that modulates metabolic dysfunction in obesity. Science. 2010; 329(5990):454-7. PMC: 3132938. DOI: 10.1126/science.1188280. View

12.

Bruunsgaard H, Skinhoj P, Pedersen A, Schroll M, Pedersen B . Ageing, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and atherosclerosis. Clin Exp Immunol. 2000; 121(2):255-60. PMC: 1905691. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2249.2000.01281.x. View

13.

Pischon T, Girman C, Hotamisligil G, Rifai N, Hu F, Rimm E . Plasma adiponectin levels and risk of myocardial infarction in men. JAMA. 2004; 291(14):1730-7. DOI: 10.1001/jama.291.14.1730. View

14.

Shibata R, Sato K, Pimentel D, Takemura Y, Kihara S, Ohashi K . Adiponectin protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury through AMPK- and COX-2-dependent mechanisms. Nat Med. 2005; 11(10):1096-103. PMC: 2828682. DOI: 10.1038/nm1295. View

15.

Berg A, Scherer P . Adipose tissue, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. Circ Res. 2005; 96(9):939-49. DOI: 10.1161/01.RES.0000163635.62927.34. View

16.

Feuerer M, Herrero L, Cipolletta D, Naaz A, Wong J, Nayer A . Lean, but not obese, fat is enriched for a unique population of regulatory T cells that affect metabolic parameters. Nat Med. 2009; 15(8):930-9. PMC: 3115752. DOI: 10.1038/nm.2002. View

17.

Flegal K, Carroll M, Ogden C, Curtin L . Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2008. JAMA. 2010; 303(3):235-41. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2009.2014. View

18.

Nawrocki A, Hofmann S, Teupser D, Basford J, Durand J, Jelicks L . Lack of association between adiponectin levels and atherosclerosis in mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2010; 30(6):1159-65. PMC: 2896306. DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.109.195826. View

19.

Ingelsson E, Lind L . Circulating retinol-binding protein 4 and subclinical cardiovascular disease in the elderly. Diabetes Care. 2008; 32(4):733-5. PMC: 2660453. DOI: 10.2337/dc08-1656. View

20.

Yamauchi T, Nio Y, Maki T, Kobayashi M, Takazawa T, Iwabu M . Targeted disruption of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 causes abrogation of adiponectin binding and metabolic actions. Nat Med. 2007; 13(3):332-9. DOI: 10.1038/nm1557. View