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Review
. 2022 Oct 6:13:1018515.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1018515. eCollection 2022.

Adiponectin: A player in the pathogenesis of hormone-dependent cancers

Alexandra Tsankof  1 , Konstantinos Tziomalos  1
Affiliations
Review

Adiponectin: A player in the pathogenesis of hormone-dependent cancers

Alexandra Tsankof et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Hormone-dependent cancers are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both genders. Accumulating evidence suggest that adiponectin, an adipokine with multifaceted functions, is implicated in the pathogenesis of several malignancies. In the present review, we discuss the existing data regarding this relationship. Several observational studies showed that low adiponectin levels are associated with higher risk for breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian and prostate cancer. A relationship between adiponectin and the aggressiveness of some of these tumors has also been reported. In vitro studies reported that adiponectin inhibits the proliferation and induces apoptosis of breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian and prostate cancer cells. Given the high prevalence of these cancers and the substantial associated morbidity and mortality, the role of agents that increase adiponectin levels and/or stimulate its activity should be evaluated for the prevention and management of these common tumors.

Keywords: adiponectin; adiponectin receptors; breast cancer; cervical cancer; endometrial cancer; obesity; ovarian cancer; prostate cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pathways linking adiponectin and oncogenesis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Editorial: Adipokines and hormone-dependent cancers.
    Andò S, Simões BM. Andò S, et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Dec 1;14:1340171. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1340171. eCollection 2023. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023. PMID: 38107522 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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