Obesity, adipokines and cancer: an update

Abstract

SummaryObesity causes dysfunction of adipose tissue, with resultant chronic inflammation and adverse interplay of various adipokines, sex steroids and endocrine hormones. All these drive tumourigenesis and explain the epidemiological link between obesity and cancer. Over the past decade, the associations among obesity, adipokines and cancer have been increasingly recognized. Adipokines and their respective signalling pathways have drawn much research attention in the field of oncology and cancer therapeutics. This review will discuss the recent advances in the understanding of the association of several adipokines with common obesity-related cancers and the clinical therapeutic implications.

Comparison of general obesity and measures of body fat distribution in older adults in relation to cancer risk: meta-analysis of individual participant data of seven prospective cohorts in Europe

“…A number of these altered processes have specifically been implicated in cancer development; notably (1) abnormalities of insulin resistance and the IGF-I system; described as the insulin-IGF-I-insulin pathway, which may promote tumour development at many anatomic sites (Park et al , 2014; Renehan et al , 2015); (2) the impact of adiposity on the biosynthesis and bioavailability of endogenous sex steroids (e.g., oestradiol) which applies predominantly, but not exclusively, to postmenopausal breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers (Park et al , 2014; Renehan et al , 2015); our findings that obesity-associated risk of postmenopausal breast cancer was strongest in women, who never used HT support that hypothesis; (3) obesity induced low-grade chronic systemic inflammation; and (4) alterations in the levels of adipocyte-derived factors, known as adipokines (Lee et al , 2015). All of these proposed pathways have been extensively investigated in mechanistic studies and tested in epidemiological settings.…”

Elevated Omentin Serum Levels Predict Long-Term Survival in Critically Ill Patients

“…Cytokines secreted by adipose tissue are called adipokines. Dysregulation of adipokines has been linked to many disease states such as diabetes and obesity [11] and also to cardiovascular diseases [23], bone diseases [24], carcinogenesis [25], chronic kidney disease [26], sepsis [27], and even bipolar disorder [28]. Remarkably, in our cohorts of critically ill patients due to sepsis and different entities like cardiogenic shock and liver failure, adipokines like adiponectin [29], resistin [18], and leptin [4] have been shown to associate with patient survival, underlining a critical role of adipokines in the progression of sepsis and nonseptic critical illness.…”

Benzothiazole Thioflavin T improves obesity-related symptoms in mice

“…An inflammatory component is also present, which has been related to the release of free fatty acids and inflammatory cytokines from the adipose tissue and could predispose to different pathologies including cancer (6). Obesity has a high prevalence, which has led to the use of the "epidemics" term, and a simple efficient remedy is still lacking (7).…”