Work

Inter-Organ Communication in Adipose Tissue Homeostasis: Roles of Skeletal Muscle, Brain, and Heart-Derived Secretory Factors and Signalling Factors

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Adipose tissue functions not only as the primary site for energy storage but also as a critical endocrine organ that orchestrates systemic metabolic homeostasis. In recent years, inter-organ communication has emerged as a fundamental mechanism governing adipose tissue function and homeostasis. The skeletal muscle, brain, and heart-either independently or in concert-serve as key secretory and signaling organs, modulating adipocyte lipid metabolism, lipolysis, and thermogenesis through the release of diverse signaling molecules, including myokines, neuropeptides, cardiotrophins, and extracellular vesicles. This review systematically summarizes the latest research advances on secreted factors from these three major organs in the regulation of adipose tissue homeostasis, focusing on their molecular mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism, white adipose browning, and brown adipose thermogenesis. This article is targeted to provide theoretical insights into the integrated mechanisms of inter-organ communication in adipose tissue regulation and to offer exploratory perspectives on candidate targets for future therapeutic development in obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Source: Diabetes Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity

DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s651843