Adiponectin,an adipocyte-derived hormone with know antidiadetic and anti-atherogenic properties was found to be present in OA synovial fluid and articular chondrocytes(45,46).moreover,it was shown that adiponectin up-regulates tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2(TIM P2) and down-regulates MMP-13,protecting cartilage from degeneration(45).Furthermore,it has been shown that serum levels of adiponectin are elevated in female patients with erosive OA (47).All the above-described data suggest that adiponectin is critically involved in OA pathogenesis(48).