Proteomic analysis of adipose tissue: informing diabetes research

Abstract

Diabetes, one of the most common endocrine diseases worldwide, results from complex pathophysiological mechanisms that are not fully understood. Adipose tissue is considered a major endocrine organ and plays a central role in the development of diabetes. The identification of the adipose tissue-derived factors that contribute to the onset and progression of diabetes will hopefully lead to the development of preventive and therapeutic interventions. Proteomic techniques may be useful tools for this purpose. In the present review, we have summarized the studies conducting adipose tissue proteomics in subjects with diabetes and insulin resistance, and discussed the proteins identified in these studies as candidates to exert important roles in these disorders.

Keywords::

• adipose tissue
• diabetes
• gestational diabetes
• insulin resistance
• proteomics
• Type 2 diabetes

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants FIP PI 1100357 and CD11/0030 (M Murri is the beneficiary of a ‘Sara Borrell' postdoctoral grant) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• Adipose tissue is a metabolic and endocrine organ that secretes metabolic regulators such as adipokines. This secretory capability depends on its mass and distribution.

• Adipose tissue plays an important role in insulin resistance and diabetes.

• The molecular mechanisms of diabetes remain largely unknown.

• Proteomic technologies could provide novel insights on the molecular processes involved in the progression to overt diabetes.

• In the last 10 years, proteomics have been applied to the study of insulin resistance and diabetes, yet only a few studies used the proteomic analysis of adipose tissue.

• Proteomic technologies applied to the role of adipose tissue in the development of diabetes and insulin resistance included 2D electrophoresis, 2D differential in-gel electrophoresis, isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation, label-free quantification and isotopic labeling.

• Proteomic studies addressing insulin resistance and diabetes revealed alterations in proteins involved in energy and metabolism, immunity-inflammation, structure, oxidative stress–stress response and transport.

• The identified proteins, in particular those that have been detected in different studies, should be considered as candidates in future studies addressing the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of diabetes.

• Future research on the validation and translation to clinical practice of diabetes biomarkers should be performed.

Notes