Apelin

Abstract

Apelin is a word that emerged in 1998. This is how the authors named the APJ receptor ligand they discovered, by the abbreviation of this receptor. Apelin exists in several isoforms ranging in size from 13 to 77 amino acid residues. The shortest form, apelin-13, is the most active one. Apelin is produced by adipose and muscle tissue as an adipokine and a myokine. Experiments on mice have shown multiple beneficial effects of apelin, including slowing the ageing process. In the growing stream of clinical results, there are reports of the beneficial effect of apelin in disorders of energy metabolism, cardiovascular diseases, hypoxic conditions, sarcopenia, obesity, and diabetes mellitus.