Adiponectin, the Past Two Decades

Overview

Journal J Mol Cell Biol

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Molecular Biology

Date 2016 Mar 20

PMID 26993047

Citations 276

Authors

Zhao V Wang

Philipp E Scherer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Adiponectin is an adipocyte-specific factor, first described in 1995. Over the past two decades, numerous studies have elucidated the physiological functions of adiponectin in obesity, diabetes, inflammation, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. Adiponectin, elicited through cognate receptors, suppresses glucose production in the liver and enhances fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle, which together contribute to a beneficial metabolic action in whole body energy homeostasis. Beyond its role in metabolism, adiponectin also protects cells from apoptosis and reduces inflammation in various cell types via receptor-dependent mechanisms. Adiponectin, as a fat-derived hormone, therefore fulfills a critical role as an important messenger to communicate between adipose tissue and other organs. A better understanding of adiponectin actions, including the pros and cons, will advance our insights into basic mechanisms of metabolism and inflammation, and potentially pave the way toward novel means of pharmacological intervention to address pathophysiological changes associated with diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cardiometabolic disease.

Citing Articles

Effect of obesity on the acute response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and development of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) in nonhuman primates.

Sauter K, Webb G, Bader L, Kreklywich C, Takahashi D, Zaro C bioRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 40027795 PMC: 11870618. DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.18.638792.

Distinguishing exocrine pancreas disease-associated diabetes from type 2 diabetes based on anthropometric and metabolic parameters.

Juza A, Kolodziej-Spirodek L, Gutkowski K, Partyka M, Dabrowski M World J Diabetes. 2025; 16(2):95102.

PMID: 39959260 PMC: 11718472. DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i2.95102.

Association of inflammatory markers and multimorbidity in young adults: cross-sectional findings from the Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort, 1993.

de Oliveira I, Correa T, Ferreira G, Nunes B, Goncalves H, Wehrmeister F Cad Saude Publica. 2025; 41(1):e00191623.

PMID: 39936780 PMC: 11805519. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311XEN191623.

Strength Training can Modulate Urinary Adipokine Levels in Healthy Young Males.

de Faria M, Barroso L, Souza-Gomes A, de Barros J, Kakehasi A, Vieira E Int J Exerc Sci. 2025; 18(2):107-118.

PMID: 39916794 PMC: 11798553. DOI: 10.70252/FXQY9475.

The secretory function of adipose tissues in metabolic regulation.

Liu Y, Qian S, Tang Y, Tang Q Life Metab. 2025; 3(2):loae003.

PMID: 39872218 PMC: 11748999. DOI: 10.1093/lifemeta/loae003.

References

Schraw T, Wang Z, Halberg N, Hawkins M, Scherer P . Plasma adiponectin complexes have distinct biochemical characteristics. Endocrinology. 2008; 149(5):2270-82. PMC: 2329278. DOI: 10.1210/en.2007-1561. View

Xu A, Chan K, Hoo R, Wang Y, Tan K, Zhang J . Testosterone selectively reduces the high molecular weight form of adiponectin by inhibiting its secretion from adipocytes. J Biol Chem. 2005; 280(18):18073-80. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M414231200. View

Wang Z, Scherer P . DsbA-L is a versatile player in adiponectin secretion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008; 105(47):18077-8. PMC: 2587574. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0810027105. View

Wang Y, Gao E, Tao L, Lau W, Yuan Y, Goldstein B . AMP-activated protein kinase deficiency enhances myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury but has minimal effect on the antioxidant/antinitrative protection of adiponectin. Circulation. 2009; 119(6):835-44. PMC: 2658653. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.815043. View

Cheng K, Iglesias M, Lam K, Wang Y, Sweeney G, Zhu W . APPL1 potentiates insulin-mediated inhibition of hepatic glucose production and alleviates diabetes via Akt activation in mice. Cell Metab. 2009; 9(5):417-27. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2009.03.013. View

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

Xie L, Boyle D, Sanford D, Scherer P, Pessin J, Mora S . Intracellular trafficking and secretion of adiponectin is dependent on GGA-coated vesicles. J Biol Chem. 2006; 281(11):7253-9. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M511313200. View

Mao X, Kikani C, Riojas R, Langlais P, Wang L, Ramos F . APPL1 binds to adiponectin receptors and mediates adiponectin signalling and function. Nat Cell Biol. 2006; 8(5):516-23. DOI: 10.1038/ncb1404. View

Scherer P . Adipose tissue: from lipid storage compartment to endocrine organ. Diabetes. 2006; 55(6):1537-45. DOI: 10.2337/db06-0263. View

10.

Wang Y, Lam K, Chan L, Chan K, Lam J, Lam M . Post-translational modifications of the four conserved lysine residues within the collagenous domain of adiponectin are required for the formation of its high molecular weight oligomeric complex. J Biol Chem. 2006; 281(24):16391-400. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M513907200. View

11.

Kusminski C, McTernan P, Schraw T, Kos K, OHare J, Ahima R . Adiponectin complexes in human cerebrospinal fluid: distinct complex distribution from serum. Diabetologia. 2007; 50(3):634-42. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-006-0577-9. View

12.

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

13.

Tao L, Gao E, Jiao X, Yuan Y, Li S, Christopher T . Adiponectin cardioprotection after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion involves the reduction of oxidative/nitrative stress. Circulation. 2007; 115(11):1408-16. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.666941. View

14.

Wang Z, Schraw T, Kim J, Khan T, Rajala M, Follenzi A . Secretion of the adipocyte-specific secretory protein adiponectin critically depends on thiol-mediated protein retention. Mol Cell Biol. 2007; 27(10):3716-31. PMC: 1899995. DOI: 10.1128/MCB.00931-06. View

15.

Qiang L, Wang H, Farmer S . Adiponectin secretion is regulated by SIRT1 and the endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductase Ero1-L alpha. Mol Cell Biol. 2007; 27(13):4698-707. PMC: 1951471. DOI: 10.1128/MCB.02279-06. View

16.

Wang Z, Scherer P . Adiponectin, cardiovascular function, and hypertension. Hypertension. 2007; 51(1):8-14. DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.099424. View

17.

Yamauchi T, Kamon J, Minokoshi Y, Ito Y, Waki H, Uchida S . Adiponectin stimulates glucose utilization and fatty-acid oxidation by activating AMP-activated protein kinase. Nat Med. 2002; 8(11):1288-95. DOI: 10.1038/nm788. View

18.

Combs T, Berg A, Rajala M, Klebanov S, Iyengar P, Jimenez-Chillaron J . Sexual differentiation, pregnancy, calorie restriction, and aging affect the adipocyte-specific secretory protein adiponectin. Diabetes. 2003; 52(2):268-76. DOI: 10.2337/diabetes.52.2.268. View

19.

Pajvani U, Du X, Combs T, Berg A, Rajala M, Schulthess T . Structure-function studies of the adipocyte-secreted hormone Acrp30/adiponectin. Implications fpr metabolic regulation and bioactivity. J Biol Chem. 2002; 278(11):9073-85. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M207198200. View

20.

Yamauchi T, Kamon J, Ito Y, Tsuchida A, Yokomizo T, Kita S . Cloning of adiponectin receptors that mediate antidiabetic metabolic effects. Nature. 2003; 423(6941):762-9. DOI: 10.1038/nature01705. View