Role of omentin and chemerin in metabolic syndrome and tumor diseases

For the past few years adipokines have been a center of appreciation and interest. They are biologically active molecules causing pleiotropic effects. They assist in angiogenesis, adipose tissue metabolism and inflammation, and modulate tissue sensitivity for insulin. Adipokines are produced in adipose tissue, so an abnormal quantity of this tissue leads to impaired levels of these factors. Because of their different concentrations in various conditions, it would be plausible to use them as markers for individual conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis, gastric cancer, lung cancer or colon cancer. Such adipokines as leptin, resistin, visfatin, adiponectin, and apelin are subjects of research. In our study we focused on the function and significance of chemerin and omentin in metabolic syndrome and cancers. In type 2 diabetes mellitus, both chemerin and omentin enhance the body sensitivity to insulin, which results in increased glucose uptake. However, in diabetic patients, serum concentration of omentin decreases, while that of chemerin increases. A similar trend was observed in obese patients. As a cancer marker, chemerin turned out to be helpful in diagnosis of gastric cancer, mesothelioma, and polycystic ovary syndrome, which can lead to endometrial cancer. An elevated concentration of omentin was noted in colon cancer, and increased expression of the omentin gene was reported in nasal polyps and mesothelioma.