Adipokines, the obesity and metabolic complications in the postmenopausal women / 대한산부인과학회지

ABSTRACT

During the menopausal transition there are changes in body fat and its disrtribution, and central adiposity is associated with the metabolic complications such as insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Adipose tissue is increasingly recognized as an endocrine organ with many secretory products and a part of the innate immune system. With obesity, macrophages infiltrate into adipose tissue, and numerous adipokines and cytokines are secreted by both macrophages and adipocytes. The adipokines play important roles in the pathogenesis of metabolic complications such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, ectopic fat accumulation, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. It has been shown that adipocytes secrete several proteins including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-6 and adipokines such as leptin, adiponectin, resistin, retinol binding protein 4, visfatin. Adiponectin improves insulin sensitivity, but leptin, resistin, pro-inflammatory cytokines increase insulin resistance. It is well known that menopause is associated with notable change in levels of the adipokines toward the direction to increase of metabolic complications, but the influence of menopause on adipokine levels is still poorly understood. Further studies are needed to understand the relationship of adipokines and metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease in the postmenopausal women.