title: Brain-specific fatty acid-binding protein is elevated in serum of patients with dementia-related diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a need for biomarkers in accessible matrices, such as blood, for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this study was to measure the serum levels of brain-type fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) and heart-type FABP in patients with dementia-involving diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain- and heart-type FABP were measured in serum samples from patients with either Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 31), Parkinson's disease (PD, n = 43), or other cognitive disorders (OCD, n = 42) and in 52 healthy controls. The localization of brain- and heart-type FABP was determined in brain sections by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Brain-type FABP levels were elevated in serum of 29%, 35%, and 24% of the patients with AD, PD, and OCD, respectively, and in 2% of the healthy donors. Heart-type FABP serum levels were not different amongst the patient groups. Brain-type and heart-type FABP expression was observed in reactive astrocytes in brain sections of patients with AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to heart-type FABP, serum levels of brain-type FABP are elevated in a significant proportion of patients with various neurodegenerative diseases and can therefore have importance for defining subgroups of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.teunissen@vumc.nl
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Teunissen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Veerhuis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Vente
authors.forename: F R J
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Verhey
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vreeling
authors.forename: M P J
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van Boxtel
authors.forename: J F C
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Glatz
authors.forename: M A L
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pelsers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003704:Dementia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D000074026:Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C493408:FABP3 protein, human; C107608:FABP7 protein, human; D000074026:Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins