Adropin Slightly Modulates Lipolysis, Lipogenesis and Expression of Adipokines but Not Glucose Uptake in Rodent Adipocytes

Abstract

Adropin is a peptide hormone which modulates energy homeostasis and metabolism. In animals with diet-induced obesity, adropin attenuates adiposity and improves lipid and glucose homeostasis. Adropin promotes the proliferation of rodent white preadipocytes and suppresses their differentiation into adipocytes. By contrast, the effects of adropin on mature white adipocytes are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of adropin on lipolysis, lipogenesis and glucose uptake in white rodent adipocytes. We assessed the effects of adropin on the mRNA expression of adiponectin, resistin and visfatin. White preadipocytes were isolated from male Wistar rats. Differentiated 3T3-L1 cells were used as a surrogate model of white adipocytes. Lipolysis was measured by the evaluation of glycerol and free fatty acid secretion using colorimetric kits. The effects of adropin on lipogenesis and glucose uptake were measured using radioactive-labelled glucose. The expression of adipokine mRNA was studied using real-time PCR. Our results show that adropin slightly promotes lipolysis in rat adipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells. Adropin suppresses lipogenesis in rat adipocytes without influencing glucose uptake. In addition, adropin stimulates adiponectin mRNA expression and suppresses the expression of resistin and visfatin. These results indicate that adropin may be involved in controlling lipid metabolism and adipokine expression in white rodent adipocytes.

Daily Treatment of Mice with Type 2 Diabetes with Adropin for Four Weeks Improves Glucolipid Profile, Reduces Hepatic Lipid Content and Restores Elevated Hepatic Enzymes in Serum

“…Furthermore, we reported earlier that, in vitro, adropin suppresses differentiation of white preadipocytes into mature adipocytes [ 30 ]. In addition, we showed that by acting on adipocytes adropin induces lipolysis and suppresses lipogenesis [ 31 , 32 ]. Therefore, it is possible that adropin may promote body weight loss by modulating energy expenditure and the morphology/differentiation or function of white adipose tissue.…”

Sex Differences in Adiposity and Cardiovascular Diseases

“…As research has already proved the association between lipocalin-2 and obesity and obesity-related CVD, monoclonal anti-lipocalin-2 could be a feasible treatment option. Although the specific therapies targeting visfatin and resistin have not yet been established, recent findings have found an anti-inflammatory factor called “adropin” and have been speculated as the antagonist to suppress the mRNA level of these two adipokines [ 212 , 213 ] which might become a potential therapeutic strategy to reduce obesity and obesity-related CVD in both males and females.…”

Serum Adropin Levels in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…Moreover, the treatment of obese mice with exogenous adropin resulted in improvement of insulin sensitivity and glucolipid metabolism, with lower expression of lipogenic genes in the liver [10]. Adropin regulates the expression of some of the key adipokines, such as adiponectin, resistin and visfatin [48]. Although, the importance of adipokines in the complex pathophysiology of RA has been well studied, their specific role in the progression of disease remains to be evaluated [49].…”