Is the lack of adiponectin associated with increased ER/SR stress and inflammation in the heart?

Objective: To study whether there is an association between adiponectin and endoplasmic reticulum/sarcoplasmic reticulum (ERSR) stress. Research design: Eleven-month-old male wild-type (WT) and adiponectin knockout (ADKO) mice were placed on chow or high fat diet for 12 weeks. The changes in ER stress and inflammatory genes were determined in the epididymal adipose, as well as heart tissue of adult WT and ADKO mice. To understand the role of ER/SR stress in the regulation of adiponectin, we studied the effect of tunicamycin or palmitate on H9C2 cardiomyoblasts in culture. To demonstrate the protective role of adiponectin, we studied the effect of purified adiponectin on the regulation of ERSR stress genes and inflammation in H9C2 cardiomyoblasts. Results: (1) High fat diet increased TNF alpha in adipose tissue of ADKO mice. (2) ERSR stress genes, HSPa5, ERN1, and GADD34, and inflammation response genes, TNF alpha and CD68, were increased in heart of ADKO mice. High fat diet did not further increase the effect. (3) Induction of ERSR stress by tunicamycin in H9C2 resulted in the upregulation of ERSR stress response genes along with downregulation of adiponectin, adiponectin receptors 1 and 2, and Serca2A. ER stress was accompanied by down regulation of 1 kappa beta alpha and an increase in HSPa5 proteins. (4) Adiponectin decreased ERSR stress and inflammation response genes and increased Serca2A in to H9C2 cardiomyoblasts. Conclusion: The lack of adiponectin is associated with increased ER/SR stress and inflammation in the heart. Adiponectin provides a protective effect by lowering inflammation and ER/SR stress along with increasing Serca2A in H9C2 cells.