AMP-activated Protein Kinase - Regulation By Adipocytokines

Regulation By Adipocytokines

Adipokines, also known as adipocytokines, are secreted by adipose tissue to take on several different but important physiological roles in the body including the regulation of appetite, metabolism, fatty acid catabolism, coagulation and systemic inflammation, for example. Collectively, the adipokines are in essence cytokines (cell-to-cell signaling proteins) which, when secreted, act on other cells, usually resulting in a biochemical and metabolic response. Two particular adipokines, adiponectin and leptin, have even been demonstrated to regulate AMPK.

It has been known for some time now that among many of the metabolic roles of leptin, one of its main functions in skeletal muscle is the upregulation of fatty acid oxidation. Recently, a study revealed that leptin is able to do this by way of the AMPK signaling pathway. A similar study showed that much like leptin, adiponectin also stimulates the oxidation of fatty acids via the AMPK pathway, and that it also stimulates the uptake of glucose in skeletal muscle. As of yet, the metabolic roles of leptin and adiponectin pertaining to biochemical adaptations to long-term endurance training remain unclear. Certainly future studies will involve an investigation of leptin and adiponectin activities and their respective relationships with the AMPK signaling pathway immediately following a high-intensity endurance training protocol.