Adipokine dysregulation and adipose tissue inflammation in human obesity
Abstract
Obesity, a worldwide epidemic, confers increased risk for multiple serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer. Adipose tissue is considered one of the largest endocrine organs in the body as well as an active tissue for cellular reactions and metabolic homeostasis rather than an inert tissue for energy storage. The functional pleiotropism of adipose tissue relies on its ability to synthesize and release a large number of hormones, cytokines, extracellular matrix proteins and growth and vasoactive factors, collectively termed adipokines that influence a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes. In the obese state, excessive visceral fat accumulation causes adipose tissue dysfunctionality that strongly contributes to the onset of obesity‐related comorbidities. The mechanisms underlying adipose tissue dysfunction include adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia, increased inflammation, impaired extracellular matrix remodelling and fibrosis together with an altered secretion of adipokines. This review describes how adipose tissue becomes inflamed in obesity and summarizes key players and molecular mechanisms involved in adipose inflammation.
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Obesity amplifies these risks by promoting inflammation and hormonal imbalance.
“Obesity further amplifies these risks by promoting inflammation and hormonal imbalance [7].”
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- Authors
- Unamuno, X., Gómez‐Ambrosi, J., Rodríguez, A., Becerril, S., Frühbeck, G., & Catalán, V.
- Affiliations
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- Metabolic Research Laboratory Clínica Universidad de Navarra Pamplona Spain
- Corresponding author
- Catalán, Victoria
- Venue
- European Journal of Clinical Investigation
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-08-03
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- e12997-e12997
- ISSN
- 0014-2972 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2362
- OpenAlex
- W2865060325
- Cited by
- 610
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 42 · 2025: 78 · 2024: 84 · 2023: 112 · 2022: 104 · 2021: 81 · 2020: 65 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 7
- FWCI
- 6.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Clinical Investigation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Deposito Adademico Digital Universidad De Navarra (University of Navarra) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI16/01217, PI17/02183, PI17/02188)
- Center for International Business Education and Research, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Disease and Adiposity
- Keywords
- obesity, adipokines, adipose tissue inflammation, adipose tissue dysfunction, adipocyte hypertrophy, adipocyte hyperplasia, extracellular matrix remodeling, adipose tissue fibrosis, adipokine dysregulation, visceral fat, obesity-related comorbidities, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- MeSH terms
- Adipose Tissue, Humans, Inflammation, Obesity, Intra-Abdominal Fat, Adipokines
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