Role of apolipoproteins in the pathogenesis of obesity

•The role of apolipoprotein in the development of obesity.•Different apolipoproteins play different roles in lipid metabolism.•Apolipoprotein is a potential target for the treatment of obesity. Obesity is a state presented by excessive accumulation and abnormal distribution of body fat, with metabolic disorders being one of its distinguishing features. Obesity is associated with dyslipidemia and apolipoproteins are important structural components of plasma lipoproteins. Apolipoproteins influence the progression of obesity by a variety of mechanisms including lipid metabolism, energy expenditure and inflammatory response. In this review, we discuss the role of apolipoproteins in obesity, mechanisms of action as well as their potential as new therapeutic targets.