Expanding role for the apelin/APJ system in physiopathology

ABSTRACT

Apelin is a bioactive peptide known as the ligand of the G protein-coupled receptorAPJ. Diverse active apelin peptides exist under the form of 13, 17 or 36 aminoacids, originated from a common 77-amino-acid precursor. Both apelin and APJmRNA are widely expressed in several rodent and human tissues and have functionaleffects in both the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Apelin has beenshown to be involved in the regulation of cardiovascular functions, fluid homeostasis,vessel formation and cell proliferation. More recently, apelin has been describedas an adipocyte-secreted factor (adipokine), up-regulated in obesity. By acting as circulatinghormone or paracrine factor, adipokines are involved in physiological regulations(fat depot development, energy storage, metabolism or eating behavior) or inthe promotion of obesity-associated disorders (type 2 diabetes and cardiovasculardysfunctions). In this regard, expression of apelin gene in adipose tissue is increasedby insulin and TNFalpha. This review will consider the main roles of apelin in physiopathologywith particular attention on its role in energy balance regulation and inobesity-associated disorders (AU)

RESUMEN

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