ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Adiponectin is one of the adipocytokines that have been found to be negatively correlated with obesity in recent years. As an endogenous bioactive peptide, adiponectin is shown to be associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and participate in the regulation of bone metabolism. OBJECTIVE: To describe the mechanism of adiponectin in bone metabolism, and mainly clarify the correlation of adiponectin with osteoblasts and osteoclasts. METHODS: The first author searched PubMed and CNKI databases for the articles addressing the experimental research and research progress of adiponectin in bone metabolism published from 2003 to 2017. The keywords were "adiponectin, osteoporosis, bone metabolism, osteogensis, bone absorption" in English and Chinese, respectively. Adiponectin, its receptors, bone metabolism, adiponectin effects on bone formation and bone resorption were reviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Adiponectin exerts a comprehensive effect on bone metabolism, mainly through autocrine, paracrine and endocrine, insulin signaling pathways. Besides, it exerts biological effects mostly by regulating OPG/RANKL/RANK system, especially in bone formation and bone resorption. Therefore, adiponectin may prevent osteoporosis by regulating bone metabolism.