The regulation of adiponectin secretion in white adipocytes - in metabolic health and disease

The objective of our research is to provide a comprehensive understanding of white adipocyte adiponectin secretion in health and in metabolic disease. We have defined that white adipocytes secrete adiponectin via cAMP/catecholamine-stimulated exocytosis of adiponectin-containing vesicles and that adrenergically triggered adiponectin secretion is blunted in obesity and type 2 diabetes. We propose that adiponectin secretion defects underlie obesity-associated hypoadiponectinemia. In our research we combine high-resolution studies at the sub-cellular level with investigations of whole-body (patho)physiological function with the aim to advance prevention and treatment of obesity-associated metabolic disease.