Pulmonary Hypertension and Obesity: Focus on Adiponectin.

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is an umbrella term including many different disorders causing an increase of the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mmHg. Recent data revealed a strong association between obesity and pulmonary hypertension. Adiponectin is a protein synthetized by the adipose tissue with pleiotropic effects on inflammation and cell proliferation, with a potential protective role on the pulmonary vasculature. Both in vivo and in vitro studies documented that adiponectin is an endogenous modulator of NO production and interferes with AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κβ) signaling preventing endothelial dysfunction and proliferation. Furthermore, adiponectin ameliorates insulin resistance by mediating the biological effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ). Therefore, adiponectin modulation emerged as a theoretical target for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, currently under investigation. Recently, consistent data showed that hypoglycemic agents targeting PPARγ as well as renin⁻angiotensin system inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor blockers may influence pulmonary hemodynamics in different models of pulmonary hypertension.

• Authors: Fabio Perrotta, Ersilia Nigro, Mariano Mollica, Adriano Costigliola, Vito D'Agnano, Aurora Daniele, Andrea Bianco, Germano Guerra
• Journal: International journal of molecular sciences (Int J Mol Sci) Vol. 20 Issue 4 (Feb 20 2019) ISSN: 1422-0067 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 30791536 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Adiponectin
• Biomarkers

Topics

• Adiponectin (antagonists & inhibitors, genetics, metabolism)
• Animals
• Biomarkers
• Disease Susceptibility
• Humans
• Hypertension, Pulmonary (drug therapy, etiology, metabolism, physiopathology)
• Molecular Targeted Therapy
• Myocytes, Smooth Muscle (metabolism)
• Obesity (complications, genetics, metabolism)
• Signal Transduction