Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ that secretes numerous protein hormones into circulation. These factors are generally referred to as adipocytokines or adipokines, however the strict definition of an adipokine is that it interacts with the immune system. In addition to secreting cytokines, adipose tissue secretes proteins that influence energy metabolism, which is of great interest to the understanding and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Their relative roles in modifying appetite, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis are the subjects of intense research, as they may be modifiable causes of morbidity in people with obesity.^[1][2]

History of adipose derived hormones

It had been shown that adipose tissue secreted some unknown factor that influenced appetite. However, the importance of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ was only fully appreciated in 1994 with the discovery of Leptin, the protein product of the Ob gene. Leptin is a strong appetite suppressant that, when deleted, causes an obese phenotype in mice. The discovery of leptin, and its effects on appetite, led to hopes of a treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity, a major disease in the developed world. It has since been discovered that the brain can become resistant to leptin, even at supra-physiological levels, making treatment with leptin impossible. Nonetheless, intense interest in the existence of adipose derived hormones has since led to the discovery of numerous important protein hormones, and the full appreciation of adipose tissue as an important endocrine organ.

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