Table 1.

Endocrine and vascular paracrine functions of some adipokines.

Adipokine	General effects	Vascular effects	References
Leptin	Satiating factor Physiological regulation of feeding behaviour through hypothalamic receptors Levels correlate with amount of body fat	Endothelial dysfunction Endothelium-dependent and independent relaxation	[67, 85, 160–165]
Resistin	Relates obesity to diabetes by inducing insulin resistance	Impairs endothelial function due to an increase in ET-1 production and a decrease in NO production	[166, 167]
Adiponectin	Levels inversely correlate with obesity	NO-dependent vasorelaxation mediated by K v channels	[91, 93, 94, 168]
Visfatin	Expression correlates with obesity degree Similar effects to insulin in cell culture	NO-dependent vasorelaxation	[169–171]
TNFα	Links inflammation with obesity Increase in TNFα expression induces ROS production Reduces adiponectin production	Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatation Triggers ET-1 and Ang II-induced vasoconstriction Impairs endothelium-dependent vasodilatation due to increased ROS production or decreased NO production Less vasodilatory effect of PAT due to ROS production	[94, 99, 172–178]
Interleukin-6	Contributes to systemic inflammation and insulin resistance	Endothelium-independent vasodilatation Endothelial dysfunction due to an increase in ROS production and decreased NO production	[94, 179–182]
Prostanoids	See vascular effects Hemostasis Numerous biological functions	Vasoconstriction or vasodilatation depending on which prostanoid	[183, 184]
Angiotensin II	See vascular effects Na+ and water homeostasis Renal function	Vasoconstriction	[185, 186]
Endothelin-1	See vascular effects	Vasoconstriction	[187]
Reactive oxygen species	Numerous biological effects Ageing	Vasoconstriction through Ca2+ sensitization Decrease in NO bioavailability	[73, 188, 189]
Adventitial derived relaxing factor	See vascular effects	Vasorelaxation through opening different K+ channels	[75, 76, 78–80]