Role of adiponectin in retinopathy of prematurity

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disease which the retinal vascular system is not mature at birth, leading to cessation of development and abnormal proliferation of blood vessels, in a relatively high oxygen environment.Adiponectin (APN) is an endogenous bioactive protein secreted by adipocytes.It has functions of regulating Glucose and lipid metabolism, inhibiting atherosclerosis and protecting the cardiovascular system.APN can inhibit angiogenesis which may be involved in the occurrence and development of ROP in recent research.APN may be regulating the serum level of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A to prevent the development of ROP.The expression of APN is also affected by fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 LCPUFAs) at the same time.Understanding the role of APN in ROP can provide new ideas for further study of the pathogenesis and prevention and treatment of ROP. Key words: Retinopathy of prematurity; Adiponectin; Neovascularization; Review