ADIPOQ and autoimmune disease: In SLE, an autoimmune disease characterized by the immune system attack on its own tissues and organs, presence of antibodies to nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens, multisystem widespread inflammation and protean clinical manifestations, a positive association of serum adiponectin levels with SLE-related atherosclerotic plaques formation and a strong correlation of urine adiponectin concentrations with lupus nephritis were found [153].