The adipokines or adipocytokines are a group of cytokines secreted by adipose (or fat) tissue that act on the immune system.

Members include: chemerin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa) and visfatin
 

Adipokines have roles in modifying appetite, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis and are the subjects of obesity research.

References

MacDougald, Ormond A. and Burant, Charles F. (September 2007) "The Rapidly Expanding Family of Adipokines" Cell Metabolism 6: pp. 159-161. Monzillo, Lais U. (2003) "Effect of Lifestyle Modification on Adipokine Levels in Obese Subjects with Insulin Resistance" Obesity Research 11(9): pp. 1048-1054. Matsuzawa, Yuji; Funahashi, Tohru and Nakamura, Tadashi (1999) "Molecular Mechanism of Metabolic Syndrome X: Contribution of Adipocytokines - Adipocyte-derived Bioactive Substances" Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 892: pp. 146-54 Abstract. Funahashi, T. et al. (1999) "Role of adipocytokines on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in visceral obesity" Internal Medicine (Japan) 38: pp. 202-206 Abstract