Here we investigated the biological functions of adiponectin/ACRP30, a fat-derived hormone, by disrupting the gene that encodes it in mice. Adiponectin/ACRP30-knockout (KO) mice showed delayed clearance of free fatty acid in plasma, low levels of fatty-acid transport protein 1 (FATP-1) mRNA in muscle, high levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA in adipose tissue and high plasma TNF-alpha concentrations. The KO mice exhibited severe diet-induced insulin resistance with reduced insulin-receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1)-associated phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3-kinase) activity in muscle. Viral mediated adiponectin/ACRP30 expression in KO mice reversed the reduction of FATP-1 mRNA, the increase of adipose TNF-alpha mRNA and the diet-induced insulin resistance. In cultured myocytes, TNF-alpha decreased FATP-1 mRNA, IRS-1-associated PI3-kinase activity and glucose uptake, whereas adiponectin increased these parameters. Our results indicate that adiponectin/ACRP30 deficiency and high TNF-alpha levels in KO mice reduced muscle FATP-1 mRNA and IRS-1-mediated insulin signaling, resulting in severe diet-induced insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance and its dreaded consequence, type 2 diabetes, are major causes of atherosclerosis. Adiponectin is an adipose-specific plasma protein that possesses anti-atherogenic properties, such as the suppression of adhesion molecule expression in vascular endothelial cells and cytokine production from macrophages. Plasma adiponectin concentrations are decreased in obese and type 2 diabetic subjects with insulin resistance. A regimen that normalizes or increases the plasma adiponectin might prevent atherosclerosis in patients with insulin resistance. In this study, we demonstrate the inducing effects of thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which are synthetic PPAR␥ ligands, on the expression and secretion of adiponectin in humans and rodents in vivo and in vitro. The administration of TZDs significantly increased the plasma adiponectin concentrations in insulin resistant humans and rodents without affecting their body weight. Adiponectin mRNA expression was normalized or increased by TZDs in the adipose tissues of obese mice. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, TZD derivatives enhanced the mRNA expression and secretion of adiponectin in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, these effects were mediated through the activation of the promoter by the TZDs. On the other hand, TNF-␣, which is produced more in an insulinresistant condition, dose-dependently reduced the expression of adiponectin in adipocytes by suppressing its promoter activity. TZDs restored this inhibitory effect by TNF-␣. TZDs might prevent atherosclerotic vascular disease in insulin-resistant patients by inducing the production of adiponectin through direct effect on its promoter and antagonizing the effect of TNF-␣ on the adiponectin promoter.

Background-Excessive lipid accumulation in macrophages plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis.Recently, we discovered an adipocyte-specific plasma protein, adiponectin, that is decreased in patients with coronary artery disease. We previously demonstrated that adiponectin acts as a modulator for proinflammatory stimuli and inhibits monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells. The present study investigated the effects of adiponectin on lipid accumulation in human monocyte-derived macrophages. Methods and Results-Human monocytes were differentiated into macrophages by incubation in human type AB serum for 7 days, and the effects of adiponectin were investigated at different time intervals. Treatment with physiological concentrations of adiponectin reduced intracellular cholesteryl ester content, as determined using the enzymatic, fluorometric method. The adiponectin-treated macrophages contained fewer lipid droplets stained by oil red O. Adiponectin suppressed the expression of the class A macrophage scavenger receptor (MSR) at both mRNA and protein levels by Northern and immunoblot analyses, respectively, without affecting the expression of CD36, which was quantified by flow cytometry. Adiponectin reduced the class A MSR promoter activity, as measured by luciferase reporter assay. Adiponectin treatment dose-dependently decreased class A MSR ligand binding and uptake activities. The mRNA level of lipoprotein lipase as a marker of macrophage differentiation was decreased by adiponectin treatment, but that of apolipoprotein E was not altered. Adiponectin was detected around macrophages in the human injured aorta by immunohistochemistry. Conclusions-The adipocyte-derived plasma protein adiponectin suppressed macrophage-to-foam cell transformation, suggesting that adiponectin may act as a modulator for macrophage-to-foam cell transformation.

Adiponectin, an adipose-specific secretory protein, exhibits antidiabetic and antiatherogenic properties. In the present study, we examined the effects of sex hormones on the regulation of adiponectin production. Plasma adiponectin concentrations were significantly lower in 442 men (age, 52.6 ؎ 11.9 years [mean ؎ SD]) than in 137 women (53.2 ؎ 12.0 years) but not different between pre-and postmenopausal women. In mice, ovariectomy did not alter plasma adiponectin levels. In contrast, high levels of plasma adiponectin were found in castrated mice. Testosterone treatment reduced plasma adiponectin concentration in both sham-operated and castrated mice. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, testosterone reduced adiponectin secretion into the culture media, using pulse-chase study. Castration-induced increase in plasma adiponectin was associated with a significant improvement of insulin sensitivity. Our results indicate that androgens decrease plasma adiponectin and that androgen-induced hypoadiponectinemia may be related to the high risks of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis in men.

Obesity is more linked to vascular disease, including atherosclerosis and restenotic change, after balloon angioplasty. The precise mechanism linking obesity and vascular disease is still unclear. Previously we have demonstrated that the plasma levels of adiponectin, an adipose-derived hormone, decreases in obese subjects, and that hypoadiponectinemia is associated to ischemic heart disease. In current the study, we investigated the in vivo role of adiponectin on the neointimal thickening after artery injury using adiponectin-deficient mice and adiponectin-producing adenovirus. Adiponectin-deficient mice showed severe neointimal thickening and increased proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells in mechanically injured arteries. Adenovirus-mediated supplement of adiponectin attenuated neointimal proliferation. In cultured smooth muscle cells, adiponectin attenuated DNA synthesis induced by growth factors including platelet-derived growth factor, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor (HB-EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor, and EGF and cell proliferation and migration induced by HB-EGF. In cultured endothelial cells, adiponectin attenuated HB-EGF expression stimulated by tumor necrosis factor ␣. The current study suggests an adipo-vascular axis, a direct link between fat and artery. A therapeutic strategy to increase plasma adiponectin should be useful in preventing vascular restenosis after angioplasty.

Background-High-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a well-known risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD).Recently, we have demonstrated that adiponectin served as an antiatherogenic plasma protein which was secreted specifically from adipocytes. The present study investigated the association between adiponectin and CRP in the blood stream and adipose tissue. Methods and Results-We studied a total of 101 male patients, 71 of whom had angiographically documented coronary atherosclerosis. As a control group, 30 patients with normal coronary angiogram were included. The plasma hs-CRP levels were negatively correlated with the plasma adiponectin levels (rϭϪ0.29, PϽ0.01). The plasma adiponectin concentrations were significantly lower and the hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in the CAD patients compared with control subjects. The mRNA levels of CRP and adiponectin were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method. We found that the CRP mRNA was expressed in human adipose tissue. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the CRP and adiponectin mRNA levels in human adipose tissue (rϭϪ0.89, PϽ0.01).In addition, the CRP mRNA level of white adipose tissue in adiponectin deficient mice was higher than that of wild-type mice. Key Words: coronary disease Ⅲ risk factors Ⅲ inflammation Ⅲ proteins C -reactive protein (CRP) is a well-known systemic marker for inflammation. Previous prospective studies indicate that a chronic low-grade inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and elevated highsensitive CRP (hs-CRP) level is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). 1,2 Plasma hs-CRP levels were also strongly associated with obesity and obesity-related diseases, including insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. [3][4][5][6] Although a recent report indicated that the plasma hs-CRP level decreased during weight reduction, 6 the precise interaction of CRP with obesity has not been fully elucidated. Conclusions-TheAdipose tissue secretes various bioactive substances, conceptualized as adipocytokines, including leptin, tumor necrosis factor-␣ (TNF-␣), and adiponectin, that may directly contribute to obesity-liked metabolic and vascular diseases. 7,8 Adiponectin is an adipocyte-specific plasma protein that we identified in a human adipose tissue cDNA library. 8 We have reported that physiological concentrations of human recombinant adiponectin suppressed TNF-␣-induced endothelial adhesion molecule expression, macrophage-to-foam cell transformation, and TNF-␣ expression in macrophage and adipose tissue. 9 -12 Recently, we have reported that adiponectin-deficient mice exhibit severe diet-induced insulin resistance and enhanced neointimal thickening after vascular injury. 12,13 Clinically, hypoadiponectinemia was observed in patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and CAD. 9,14,15 These findings suggest that adiponectin has antiinflammatory properties and acts as an endogenous modulator of obesity-related diseases. Atherosclerosis can be...

Abstract-Endothelial dysfunction is a crucial feature in the evolution of atherosclerosis. Adiponectin is an adipocytespecific plasma protein with antiatherogenic and antidiabetic properties. In the present study, we investigated the relation between adiponectin and endothelium-dependent vasodilation. We analyzed endothelial function in 202 hypertensive patients, including those who were not taking any medication. Forearm blood flow was measured by strain-gauge plethysmography. Plasma adiponectin level was highly correlated with the vasodilator response to reactive hyperemia in the total (rϭ0.257, PϽ0.001) and no-medication (rϭ0.296, Pϭ0.026) groups but not with nitroglycerin-induced hyperemia, indicating that adiponectin affected endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Multiple regression analysis of data from all hypertensive patients revealed that plasma adiponectin level was independently correlated with the vasodilator response to reactive hyperemia. Vascular reactivity was also analyzed in aortic rings from adiponectinknockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. Adiponectin-KO mice showed obesity, hyperglycemia, and hypertension compared with WT mice after 4 weeks on an atherogenic diet. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation in response to acetylcholine was significantly reduced in adiponectin-KO mice compared with WT mice, although no significant difference was observed in endothelium-independent vasodilation in response to sodium nitroprusside. Our observations suggest that hypoadiponectinemia is associated with impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and that the measurement of plasma adiponectin level might be helpful as a marker of endothelial dysfunction.

Background-Vascular inflammation and subsequent matrix degradation play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. We previously reported that adiponectin, an adipose-specific plasma protein, accumulated to the injured artery and attenuated vascular inflammatory response. Clinically, high plasma adiponectin level was associated with low cardiovascular event rate in patients with chronic renal failure. The present study was designed to elucidate the effects of adiponectin on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in human monocyte-derived macrophages. Methods and Results-Human monocyte-derived macrophages were incubated with the physiological concentrations of human recombinant adiponectin for the time indicated. Adiponectin treatment dose-dependently increased TIMP-1 mRNA levels without affecting MMP-9 mRNA levels. Adiponectin also augmented TIMP-1 secretion into the media, whereas MMP-9 secretion and activity were unchanged. Time course experiments indicated that TIMP-1 mRNA levels started to increase at 24 hours of adiponectin treatment and were significantly elevated at 48 hours. Adiponectin significantly increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA expression at the transcriptional level within 6 hours and significantly increased IL-10 protein secretion within 24 hours. Cotreatment of adiponectin with anti-IL-10 monoclonal antibody completely abolished adiponectin-induced TIMP-1 mRNA expression. Conclusions-Adiponectin selectively increased TIMP-1 expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages through IL-10 induction. This study identified, for the first time, the adiponectin/IL-10 interaction against vascular inflammation. Key Words: proteins Ⅲ glycoproteins Ⅲ metalloproteinases Ⅲ interleukins Ⅲ inflammation C urrent advances in basic science have illustrated the role of inflammation and its mechanisms, which contribute to atherosclerotic diseases. Inflammatory processes are not only associated with initiation and progression of atherosclerosis but are also responsible for acute thrombotic complications. Most coronary artery thrombi are triggered by the rupture of atherosclerotic plaque lesions, which are controlled by the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases [TIMPs]), mainly secreted from activated macrophages. 1 However, the precise mechanisms have not been elucidated fully. Adipose tissue secretes various bioactive molecules, termed adipocytokines, that directly contribute to obesity-linked metabolic and vascular diseases. Adiponectin is an adipocytespecific plasma protein that we identified in a human adipose tissue cDNA library. 2 We have reported that physiological concentrations of human recombinant adiponectin suppressed tumor necrosis factor-␣ (TNF-␣)-induced endothelial adhesion molecule expression, transformation from macrophage to foam cell, and TNF-␣ expression in macrophages. 3,4 Clinical hypoadiponectinemia was observed in patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellit...