The emerging role of irisin in cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Irisin, a novel hormone like polypeptide, is cleaved and secreted by an unknown protease from a membrane- spanning protein, FNDC5 (fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5). The current knowledge on the biological functions of irisin includes browning white adipose tissue, regulating insulin use, and anti- i nflammatory and antioxidative properties. Dysfunction of irisin has shown to be involved in cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Moreover, irisin gene variants are also associated with cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge on irisin-mediated regulatory mechanisms and their roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.