ADIPOQ and adiponectin deficiency: Hypoadiponectinemia in patients with T2D stimulates vascular NADPH oxidase expression, which is counterbalanced by upregulation of adiponectin expression in PVAT aimed at suppressing in a paracrine manner NADPH oxidase activity via a PI3K/Akt-mediated deactivation of Rac1 and the downregulation of p22phox gene expression [88].