Adiponectin

Background

Adiponectin, a protein encoded by the ADIPOQ gene, is also known as ACRP30 or GBP28. In humans, adipose tissue is the primary site of adiponectin production. In addition to adipocytes, other cells, such as skeletal muscle cells, cardiomyocytes, and endothelial cells, can also be critical sources of adiponectin. As an adipokine and protein hormone, adiponectin is crucial in regulating fatty acid oxidation and glucose levels. Adiponectin mainly mediates signaling through two adiponectin receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2.

Its Gene ID: 9370, UniProtKB ID: Q15848, and OMIM ID: 605441.

Fig.1 Domains and structure of adiponectin.^1,3

Functions of Adiponectin

Typically, adiponectin is secreted into the bloodstream by adipose tissue. Therefore, adiponectin has higher plasma levels than conventional hormones. Adiponectin transmits information to other organs or tissues through the blood, thereby regulating various life activities in organisms. First, adiponectin is beneficial in improving insulin sensitivity in some tissues. Secondly, adiponectin is capable of regulating energy metabolism. Furthermore, adiponectin has anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce inflammation in endothelial tissues, macrophages, muscle cells, and epithelial cells.

Adiponectin and Diseases

Adiponectin is reported to be closely linked to the development of a variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancers. Specifically, adiponectin has a protective effect in some diseases. For example, a higher adiponectin level corresponds to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, data suggest that adiponectin dysregulation affects the progression of several cancers, including liver, pancreatic, breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

Adiponectin Signaling Pathways

Adiponectin is a crucial hub for activating multiple pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK, PPAR, and AMPK.

Fig.2 Schematic representation of adiponectin signal transduction.^1,3

• PI3K/Akt signaling

Adiponectin mediates the activation of the PI3K pathway and Akt downstream signaling, exhibiting biological responses.

• MAPK signaling

The binding of adiponectin to its receptor contributes to activating the AMPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, activated AMPK is crucial for regulating the effects of adiponectin in cells.

• The PPAR pathway

Evidence suggests that adiponectin regulates hepatic fatty acid absorption and metabolism through the PPAR pathway. In addition, adiponectin can regulate hepatic glucose uptake through PPAR, which improves insulin sensitivity in hepatic tissue.

• AMPK signaling

Adiponectin has been reported to play a pivotal role in activating AMPK. Activated AMPK effectively suppresses cell invasion and migration in breast cancer cell lines.

Various adiponectin-related assay kits, proteins, and peptides are available at Creative Biolabs. Please reach us for a detailed quote.

Adiponectin Functional Service

Creative Biolabs provides a comprehensive range of Adiponectin related products, including ELISA test kits and Adiponectin proteins. These products can effectively carry out Adiponectin related experiments and thus play an important role in your research.

Fig. 3 The benefits of adiponectin in depression.^2,3

Depression is a high-incidence mental disorder and one of the most serious mental illnesses. Its treatment is a global problem. Research indicates that the presence of current major depressive disorder (MDD) episodes, the severity of symptoms, and a history of depression in middle-aged women are linked to reduced levels of adiponectin over a five-year period. Adiponectin has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and interact with receptors in various areas of the brain. Increasing evidence points to the role of adiponectin, along with its receptor agonists, in fostering adult neurogenesis, enhancing dendritic and spine remodeling, and promoting synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.

Creative Biolabs offers Adiponectin functional services, including detection of Adiponectin binding and other tailored functional services for our esteemed clients engaged in clinical and scientific research.

References

1. Achari, Arunkumar E., and Sushil K. Jain. "Adiponectin, a therapeutic target for obesity, diabetes, and endothelial dysfunction." International journal of molecular sciences 18.6 (2017): 1321.
2. Formolo, Douglas Affonso, Thomas Ho-Yin Lee, and Suk-Yu Yau. "Increasing adiponergic system activity as a potential treatment for depressive disorders." Molecular neurobiology 56.12 (2019): 7966-7976.
3. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.