Selected adipokines as potential prognostic and diagnostic agents in treatment of metabolic disorders associated with obesity

Obesity is a chronic disease that constitutes a global problem and a serious challenge to public health. In the course of this disease, excessive accumulation of fat tissue occurs in the body, which not only leads to an increased risk of health complications, but also negatively affects the quality of life. Fat cells – adipocytes – are responsible for the biosynthesis and release of adipokines, among others, leptin, visfatin, chemerin and omentin-1. They are active biological substances, including mediators of inflammation, which may lead to the development of metabolic disorders in the body. The above-mentioned properties of the described adipokines make it possible to potentially use them as diagnostic and therapeutic factors in the course of obesity and its accompanying disorders such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiometabolic complications. Despite significant progress in understanding the role played by the discussed adipokines, further research is necessary to precisely describe the mechanisms of action and to determine the precise relationship between their plasma concentrations and state of diseases.