Adipoq-iCre Mouse

The ADIPOQ gene-encoded adiponectin is a protein hormone produced exclusively by adipocytes (fat cells). It is transported through the bloodstream to muscle and liver cells. Adiponectin regulates various pathways related to fat storage and metabolism, including the modulation of blood glucose levels, fatty acid breakdown, brown adipocyte differentiation, and negative regulation of gluconeogenesis. By increasing insulin sensitivity and promoting fatty acid breakdown, adiponectin plays a crucial role in regulating glucose and fat metabolism. Additionally, it exhibits direct anti-diabetic, anti-atherosclerotic, and anti-inflammatory activities ^[1-2]. The mutation of the ADIPOQ gene is associated with adiponectin deficiency syndrome. Although the ADIPOQ gene is expressed predominantly (or almost exclusively) in adipose tissue, adiponectin, as a secreted hormone, circulates via the bloodstream and is widely distributed in various tissues and organs, including skeletal muscle, liver, intestine, male reproductive glands, and brain, where it exerts its physiological effects through specific receptors (such as AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) ^[3-4].

The Adipoq-iCre mice are constructed by inserting a codon-improved Cre recombinase (iCre) element into the endogenous Adipoq gene of mice. The expression pattern of iCre recombinase is similar to the endogenous gene. When this strain is crossed with mice containing loxP sites, sequence recombination mediated by the Cre recombinase between loxP sites can occur in the white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) of its offspring.