Adipose cells produce and secrete numerous physiologically important proteins, such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL), leptin and adiponectin protein of 30 kDa. Adiponectin is a circulating protein that is secreted exclusively by differentiated adipocytes. During adipocyte differentiation, mRNA levels of Adiponectin have been shown to be induced over 100-fold. Studies indicate that Adiponectin enhances the ability of sub-physiological levels of insulin to suppress glucose production, thus linking adipose tissue to whole body glucose regulation. Adiponectin function appears to be regulated by phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-K) since Adiponectin secretion is blocked by pharmacologic inhibitors of this kinase. mRNA levels of Adiponectin have been shown to be significantly reduced in adipose tissue of obese patients with Type 2 diabetes relative to control subjects. Structural similarities to TNFalpha suggests that Adiponectin may play a role in pathogenesis of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes. Because Adiponectin is down-regulated in various forms of obesity and its structural similarity to TNFalpha, it is currently being investigated as an important regulator of whole body energy homeostasis.

30 kDa adipocyte complement-related protein; ACRP30; ADIPO; Adipocyte C1q and collagen domain-containing protein; adipocyte complement related protein; Adipocyte complement-related 30 kDa protein; adipocyte, C1Q and collagen domain containing; Adipocyte, C1q and collagen domain-containing protein; Adipocyte-specific protein AdipoQ; Adiponectin; Adipose most abundant gene transcrip