Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.
Department of Systems Biology and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 14;22(10):5226. doi: 10.3390/ijms22105226.
The gonadal steroids, including androgens, estrogens and progestogens, are involved in the control of body fat distribution in humans. Nevertheless, not only the size and localization of the fat depots depend on the sex steroids levels, but they can also highly affect the functioning of adipose tissue. Namely, the gonadocorticoids can directly influence insulin signaling, lipid metabolism, fatty acid uptake and adipokine production. They may also alter energy balance and glucose homeostasis in adipocytes in an indirect way, e.g., by changing the expression level of aquaglyceroporins. This work presents the recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanism of how the gonadal steroids influence the functioning of adipose tissue leading to a set of detrimental metabolic consequences. Special attention is given here to highlighting the sexual dimorphism of adipocyte functioning in terms of health and disease. Particularly, we discuss the molecular background of metabolic disturbances occurring in consequence of hormonal imbalance which is characteristic of some common endocrinopathies such as the polycystic ovary syndrome. From this perspective, we highlight the potential drug targets and the active substances which can be used in personalized sex-specific management of metabolic diseases, in accord with the patient's hormonal status.
性腺类固醇，包括雄激素、雌激素和孕激素，参与了人体脂肪分布的控制。然而，不仅脂肪储存的大小和位置取决于性激素水平，而且它们还可以极大地影响脂肪组织的功能。性腺皮质激素可以直接影响胰岛素信号、脂质代谢、脂肪酸摄取和脂肪因子的产生。它们还可以通过改变水通道蛋白的表达水平等间接方式改变脂肪细胞的能量平衡和葡萄糖稳态。这项工作介绍了理解性腺类固醇如何影响脂肪组织功能从而导致一系列有害代谢后果的分子机制的最新进展。特别关注突出了在健康和疾病方面，脂肪细胞功能的性别二态性。特别地，我们讨论了由于激素失衡而发生的代谢紊乱的分子背景，这种失衡是一些常见内分泌疾病（如多囊卵巢综合征）的特征。从这个角度来看，我们强调了可以用于根据患者的激素状态进行个性化、性别特异性代谢疾病管理的潜在药物靶点和活性物质。
