The role of adipokines in cardiovascular disease.

Obesity leads to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Adipose tissue produces various bioactive molecules, also known as adipokines, and imbalanced production of adipokines contributes to the pathogenesis of obesity-linked metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Some adipokines such as adiponectin exert salutary actions on cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Recent research has been conducted to identify poorly-characterized adipokines involved in cardiovascular regulation. In this review, we focus on the protective role of novel adipokines that are of current interest in the field of cardiology.