Friend or foe for obesity: How hepatokines remodel adipose tissues and translational perspective

Due to excess energy intake and a sedentary lifestyle, the prevalence of obesity is rising steadily and has emerged as a global public health problem. Adipose tissue undergoes structural remodeling and dysfunction in the obese state. Secreted proteins derived from the liver, also termed hepatokines, exert multiple effects on adipose tissue remodeling and the development of obesity, and has drawn extensive attention for their therapeutic potential in the treatment of obesity and related diseases. Several novel hepatokines and their function on systemic metabolism have been interrogated recently as well. The drug development programs targeting hepatokines also have shown inspiring benefits in obesity treatment. In this review, we outline how adipose tissue changes during obesity. Then, we summarize and critically analyze the novel findings on the effects of metabolic “beneficial” and metabolic “harmful” hepatokines to adipose tissue. We also discuss the in-depth molecular mechanism that hepatokines may mediate the liver-adipose tissue crosstalk, the novel technologies targeting hepatokines and their receptors in vivo to explore their functions, and the potential application of these interventions in clinical practice.