Adiponectin as an immunoregulatory factor in physical exercise – A brief overview

Adiponectin, an adipokine abundantly produced by adipose tissue, is a well-established regulator of energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Beyond these metabolic roles, a growing body of evidence characterizes adiponectin as a potent immunoregulatory factor. This mini-review provides a brief overview of adiponectin's anti-inflammatory functions in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. We discuss its role in modulating innate and adaptive immunity, including suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, promoting anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage polarization, and regulating T-cell function. Additionally, we discuss how adiponectin signaling through its receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) in microglia and astrocytes can counteract neuroinflammation, with relevance to neurological and behavioral conditions. Given the challenges in pharmacologically targeting the adiponectin signaling system, we explore physical exercise as a feasible therapeutic strategy to increase adiponectin levels. We highlight evidence that exercise-induced increases in adiponectin mediate significant anti-inflammatory effects, underscoring the potential of lifestyle interventions to modulate immune responses via adiponectin.