Associations of circulating adiponectin with estradiol and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in postmenopausal women

Objective: The aim of the present study was to clarify the association of serum adiponectin concentrations with serum 17 beta-estradiol concentrations in pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women. In addition, the associations of serum adiponectin with serum concentrations of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were examined in women during the menopausal transition. Design: A total of 197 women were enrolled in this study: 33 premenopausal women, 80 perimenopausal women, and 84 postmenopausal women. Serum adiponectin concentration was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and the chemokines IL-8, macrophage inflammatory protein 1 beta and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 were measured by using a multiplexed human cytokine assay. Results: Serum adiponectin concentration showed a significant negative correlation with serum estradiol concentration (r = -0.400, P = 0.001) in postmenopausal women but not in pre- and perimenopausal women, and this correlation was significant after adjustment for age and body mass index. Serum adiponectin concentration also showed a significant negative correlation with serum monocyte chemotactic protein-1 concentration (r = -0.244, P = 0.05) in postmenopausal women. Conclusion: An increase in adiponectin level due to a decrease in estradiol results in a reduction in monocyte chemotactic protein-1 level in postmenopausal women, suggesting that adiponectin may be associated with a protective role against insulin resistance and atherosclerosis, which occur in the postmenopausal stage.