Under disease conditions including
obesity (
insulin resistance) and diabetes, dysregulation of
adipokines such as
tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,
leptin,
resistin, and
adiponectin contribute to the development of metabolic and
cardiovascular disease. Unlike other
adipokines,
adiponectin has been shown to be a therapeutic target for
metabolic syndrome and
cardiovascular disease. Circulating levels of
adiponectin are markedly reduced in obese, diabetic, hypertensive, and
coronary artery disease patients as well as experimental animal models of
insulin resistance and diabetes. Recently, the small molecule
adiponectin receptors (AdipoRs) agonist was discovered and suggested that the agonist is a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of
type 2 diabetes linked to
obesity in an experimental mouse model. This review will focus on signaling pathways involved in
adiponectin and its receptors and the role of
adiponectin in metabolic and
cardiovascular disease including
insulin resistance,
cardiomyopathy, and cardiovascular dysfunction.