Document Type : Analytic Review
Authors
1
Sport Medicine and Knee Research Center, Milad Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
2
Knee and Sport Medicine Research and Education Center, Milad Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Aims: This review aims to examine the role of adipokines as key mediators linking obesity, inflammation, bone metabolism, and immune regulation. It seeks to elucidate how dysregulated adipokine secretion from white adipose tissue and bone marrow adipose tissue influences bone remodeling and osteoimmune interactions, thereby contributing to obesity-related skeletal disorders.
Method and Materials: A narrative review of current scientific literature was conducted, focusing on experimental, clinical, and translational studies that investigate the effects of adipokines on bone cells and immune pathways. Relevant publications were analyzed to synthesize existing knowledge on adipokine signaling, osteoblast and osteoclast regulation, bone marrow microenvironment dynamics, and the intersection between metabolic inflammation and osteoimmunology.
Findings: The reviewed evidences indicated that adipokines act as critical regulators of bone homeostasis through endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine mechanisms. Key adipokines, including leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin, significantly influence osteoblast differentiation, osteoclastogenesis, and immune cell activity. In obesity, altered adipokine profiles promote a chronic inflammatory state that disrupts the balance between bone formation and resorption, leading to impaired skeletal integrity and increased fracture risk. Additionally, adipokines play an important role in osteoimmunology by mediating crosstalk between adipose tissue, immune cells, and skeletal cells within the bone microenvironment.
Conclusion: Adipokines represent a crucial link between metabolic dysfunction, immune regulation, and bone health. Dysregulation of adipokine signaling in obesity contributes to chronic inflammation, altered osteoimmune interactions, and compromised bone remodeling. Improved understanding of these complex mechanisms may facilitate the development of targeted therapeutic strategies for preventing and managing obesity-related bone disorders and enhancing skeletal health.
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