Adiponectin, an adipokine derived from the adipose tissue, manifests anti-inflammatory effects in the metabolically active organs and is, therefore, beneficial in various metabolic diseases associated with inflammation. However, the role of adiponectin in alleviating the hypothalamic inflammation connected to the pathogenesis of obesity has not yet been clearly interrogated. Here, we identified that the systemic administration of adiponectin suppresses the activation of microglia and thereby reverses the hypothalamic inflammation during short-term exposure to a high-fat diet. Additionally, we show that adiponectin induces anti-inflammatory effects in the microglial cell line subjected to an exogenous treatment with a saturated free fatty acid. In conclusion, the current study suggests that adiponectin suppresses the saturated free fatty acid-triggered the hypothalamic inflammation by modulating the microglial activation and thus maintains energy homeostasis.
Keywords: adiponectin; energy metabolism; hypothalamus; inflammation; microglia.