@article{10.37349/ei.2026.1003263,
abstract = {Obesity is a major global health challenge, now recognized as a complex metabolic and inflammatory disorder characterized by excess adiposity and chronic low-grade inflammation. Adipose tissue functions as an endocrine organ, secreting adipokines that regulate metabolism and immune responses. Among these, Isthmin-1 (ISM1) has recently emerged as a novel adipokine with important metabolic and anti-inflammatory roles. ISM1 is widely expressed in adult tissues and is associated with central adiposity and metabolic dysfunction. It enhances glucose uptake via an insulin-independent PI3K/Akt pathway through integrin αVβ5 activation, promoting GLUT4 translocation. ISM1 also regulates lipid metabolism by inhibiting lipogenesis and stimulating fatty acid oxidation. Additionally, it exerts anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing NF-κB signaling and promoting macrophage polarization toward an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Exercise is known to improve adipokine profiles, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation, but its effects on ISM1 remain unexplored. This represents a critical gap in the literature. Understanding how different exercise modalities influence ISM1 could reveal new mechanisms underlying exercise benefits and support its potential as a biomarker or therapeutic target in obesity and metabolic disorders.},
author = {Rostami, Arina and Saeidi, Ayoub and Hejazi, Keyvan and ALNasser, Maryam N. and Ayed, Khadija and Almaqhawi, Abdullah and Zouhal, Hassane},
doi = {10.37349/ei.2026.1003263},
journal = {Exploration of Immunology},
elocation-id = {1003263},
title = {Isthmin-1 as a novel adipokine: a potential target for exercise-induced metabolic modulation in obesity},
url = {https://www.explorationpub.com/Journals/ei/Article/1003263},
volume = {6},
year = {2026}
}