Omentin: A Novel Link Between Inflammation, Diabesity, and Cardiovascular Disease

Obesity has reached pandemic proportions and is associated with serious cardiometabolic sequealae including insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, where adipose tissue-secreted cytokines, that is, adipokines, have been implicated in these processes. Omentin is a novel adipokine preferentially produced by visceral adipose tissue with insulin-sensitizing effects, where circulating levels are decreased in insulin-resistant states, for example, obesity and diabetes. With respect to vascular biology, omentin causes vasodilatation of blood vessels and attenuates C-reactive protein induced angio genesis potentially via the nuclear factor B signaling pathway, a potent proinflammatory signaling pathway. Thus, omen tin may have beneficial effects on the metabolic syndrome and could potentially be used as a biologic marker and/or pharmacologic agent in this respect. (Trends Cardiovasc Med 2010;20:143-148) (C) 2010, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.