Adipokines and the signaling role of adipose tissue in inflammation and obesity

Adipose tissue occupies the central position in a health condition that is now of pandemic proportions, namely obesity. It is as much the clinical complications with which obese subjects present frequently, that is predominantly Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which are the cause of concern. The recognition that adipose tissue is not simply a vehicle for lipid storage but is also a multifaceted endocrine organ, the functions of which include signaling the level of the fat stores, has led to considerable research effort to establish the mechanistic links between the tissue and metabolic disease. Recently, a specific association between obesity and low-grade chronic inflammation has been identified and this inflammatory state appears to a link causally to the development of the metabolic syndrome. The finding that adipose tissue is a source of a number of inflammatory mediators has prompted interest in the tissue as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in obesity-related diseases.