The Role of Adipose Tissue and Adipokines in Obesity-Related Inflammatory Diseases

Obesity is an energy-rich condition associated with overnutrition, which impairs systemic metabolic homeostasis and elicits stress. It also activates an inflammatory process in metabolically active sites, such as white adipose tissue, liver, and immune cells. As consequence, increased circulating le...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Carmela Rita Balistreri, Calogero Caruso, Giuseppina Candore
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2010-01-01
Series:Mediators of Inflammation
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/802078
Description
Summary:Obesity is an energy-rich condition associated with overnutrition, which impairs systemic metabolic homeostasis and elicits stress. It also activates an inflammatory process in metabolically active sites, such as white adipose tissue, liver, and immune cells. As consequence, increased circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines, hormone-like molecules, and other inflammatory markers are induced. This determines a chronic active inflammatory condition, associated with the development of the obesity-related inflammatory diseases. This paper describes the role of adipose tissue and the biological effects of many adipokines in these diseases.
ISSN:0962-9351
1466-1861