A-FABP--a biomarker associated with the metabolic syndrome and/or an indicator of weight change?
OBJECTIVE
Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) is a plasma biomarker recently associated with the metabolic syndrome. The aim of these studies was to investigate changes of A-FABP during profound weight loss induced by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).


METHODS
In study one, 29 severely obese female subjects were examined before and 1 year after surgical treatment. A subgroup of 10 patients was investigated in 3-month intervals. Metabolic parameters were determined using standard methods, and A-FABP was detected using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Mean weight loss after 1 year was 24.9 kg (P < 0.001), mainly due to a decrease in fat mass. Metabolic parameters improved substantially. However, serum A-FABP remained stable. In study two, a subgroup of 10 patients was examined quarterly to determine the time course of A-FABP changes. Quarterly measurements of serum A-FABP were significantly higher than baseline levels with the highest A-FABP value after the first 3 months, where patients had highest weight loss.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results in study one show that A-FABP serum levels are positively associated with body weight and fat mass. However, 1 year after pronounced weight loss A-FABP levels remained unchanged. In study two, time course analyses revealed maximum increase of serum A-FABP in parallel to highest weight loss, which allows to suppose that A-FABP is not only a biomarker of the metabolic syndrome in the steady state, but also a marker of weight changes in dynamic situations.
Clinical Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
Julia
J
Engl
Christian
C
Ciardi
Tobias
T
Tatarczyk
Susanne
S
Kaser
Markus
M
Laimer
Elisabeth
E
Laimer
Helmut
H
Weiss
Franz
F
Aigner
Clemens
C
Molnar
Herbert
H
Tilg
Josef R
JR
Patsch
Christoph F
CF
Ebenbichler
D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D008055:Lipids