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Background: Adipocyte fatty acid–binding protein (A-FABP) is traditionally thought to be a cytosolic fatty acid chaperone expressed in adipocytes. Mice with targeted disruption of the A-FABP gene exhibit a striking phenotype with strong protection from insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and atherosclerosis. The clinical relevance of these findings remains to be confirmed.

Methods: We used tandem mass spectrometry–based proteomic analysis to identify proteins secreted from adipocytes and present in human serum. We measured serum A-FABP concentrations in 229 persons (121 men and 108 women; age range, 33–72 years), including 100 lean [body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m²] and 129 overweight/obese individuals (BMI >25 kg/m²) selected from a previous cross-sectional study.

Results: A-FABP was released from adipocytes and was abundantly present in human serum …