Inflammatory Overtones of Organokines in Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Obesity and its associated metabolic derangements have become a major global health challenge. Ectopic fat accumulation disrupts metabolic homeostasis leading to metabolic syndrome (MetS), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular diseases. T2D is strongly associated with chronic low-grade inflammation in the adipose tissue, liver, and arguably in the skeletal muscle. Secretory proteins elaborated by these organs, i.e., adipokines, hepatokines, and myokines, are collectively grouped as organokines, which interact with each other to produce complex effects in insulin target tissues through endocrine, autocrine, and paracrine pathways. Since organokines have both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects, the optimum balance between them is critical for metabolic homeostasis. The goal of this review is to focus on the functions of some of these organokines that have been identified in contemporary research as major regulators of inflammation, leading to the onset and progression of metabolic diseases.