ADIPOQ and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Adiponectin has the potential to act as a protective endocrine/autocrine/paracrine factor to prevent and halt the progression of potentially life-threatening complications of obesity.15, 16, 17 Levels of obesity and adiponectin have an inverse correlation, and adiponectin levels are tightly regulated at the transcriptional and translational levels.18