Effect of exercise training on A-FABP, lipocalin-2 and RBP4 levels in obese women.
OBJECTIVE
Lipocalin family proteins, including adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), lipocalin-2 and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), have recently been identified as novel adipokines associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. We have evaluated the effect of exercise training on lipocalin family proteins and inflammatory markers.


METHODS
Thirty obese Korean women and 15 age-matched nonobese control subjects were studied.


METHODS
Concentrations of the lipocalin family proteins were compared between obese and nonobese women and were evaluated before and 3 months after an exercise programme consisting of aerobic exercise (45 min/session, 300 kcal/day) and muscle strength training (20 min/session, 100 kcal/day) five times a week.


RESULTS
Obese women exhibited higher A-FABP levels compared to nonobese women (21.4 +/- 6.4 microg/l vs. 13.6 +/- 4.4 microg/l, P < 0.001). However, neither lipocalin-2 nor RBP4 levels were significantly different between the two groups, although the difference in lipocalin-2 was marginally significant (P = 0.054). Circulating A-FABP levels were significantly associated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lipocalin-2 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels. After 3 months of the exercise training programme, serum A-FABP levels decreased significantly from 21.4 +/- 6.4 microg/l to 19.3 +/- 6.8 microg/l (P = 0.038), along with a reduction in weight, BMI, waist circumference, fasting glucose and total cholesterol levels. There was no significant change in the lipocalin-2 and RBP4 levels, although IL-6 levels increased after the exercise programme.


CONCLUSIONS
Exercise training with weight loss induced a significant reduction in circulating A-FABP levels in obese Korean women.
Choi
K M
KM
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
T N
TN
Yoo
H J
HJ
Lee
K W
KW
Cho
G J
GJ
Hwang
T G
TG
Baik
S H
SH
Choi
D S
DS
Kim
S M
SM
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000097:blood*; D055070:Resistance Training
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D001786:Blood Glucose; C493410:FABP4 protein, human; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; C505957:POLR2D protein, human; D012319:RNA Polymerase II