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This Article Accepted manuscript (PDF) All Versions of this Article: JME-08-0131v1 43/1/11    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gomez, R. Articles by Gualillo, O. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gomez, R. Articles by Gualillo, O.

R Gomez, Research Area, NEIRID Lab, Santiago University Clinical Hospital, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
F Lago, Research Area, Laboratory 1, Molecular and Cellular Cardiology Lab., Santiago University Clinical Hospital, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
J Gomez-Reino, Research Area, NEIRID Lab, Santiago University Clinical Hospital, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
C Dieguez, Department of Physiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
O Gualillo, Research Area, NEIRID Lab, Santiago University Clinical Hospital, Santiago de Compostela, 15706, Spain

Correspondence: Oreste Gualillo, Email: oreste.gualillo{at}sergas.es

Abstract

The discovery of leptin in 1994 marked the beginning of a new understanding about white adipose tissue and modified a static vision of this tissue which was viewed up to end of 20th century as an inert tissue, devoted to body protection from heat loss and to passively store energy. The identification of the product of the gene obese (ob) accentuated the role of adipose tissue in the physiopathology of obesity-linked diseases, and led to the discovery of various adipokines, many of a pro-inflammatory nature. It has become progressively manifest that white adipose tissue (WAT)-derived adipokines can be now considered as the fulcrum between obesity-related environmental causes, such as nutrition and lifestyle, and the biochemical shifts that lead to metabolic syndrome, inflammatory and/or autoimmune conditions, and rheumatic diseases. Herein we review recent adipokine research, with particular emphasis to the role of leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin in chondrocyte function and skeleton, as well as in inflammatory and degenerative cartilage joint diseases.