Investigation in the physiological effect of adiponectin through its binding protein

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25461386
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Endocrinology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Maeda Norikazu 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 寄附講座准教授 (30506308)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Funahashi Tohru 大阪大学, 大学院医学(系)研究科寄附, 講座教授 (60243234)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 内分泌学 / メタボリックシンドローム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Adiponectin, an adipose-specific secretory protein, abundantly exists in bloodstream. Here, we showed that adiponectin accumulates onto specific tissues or cells and thus exhibits organ protective effects. Adiponectin binds to T-cadherin and accumulates onto aorta, heart, and skeletal muscle in which T-cadherin is highly expressed. Present study focused on the accumulation of adiponectin in aorta, because adiponectin has been shown to possess anti-atherosclerotic property. Adiponectin resides on aortic endothelial cells under steady condition. Interestingly, in atherosclerotic plaque lesion, adiponectin exists not only in endothelial cells but also on the surface of smooth muscle cells with synthetic phenotype and monocytes attaching to endothelial cells. Data shown here indicates that adiponectin/T-cadherin system plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis in vivo.

Free Research Field

内分泌代謝内科学