title: Small lipid-binding proteins in regulating endothelial and vascular functions: focusing on adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and lipocalin-2.
abstract: Dysregulated production of adipokines from adipose tissue plays a critical role in the development of obesity-associated cardiovascular abnormalities. A group of adipokines, including adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) and lipocalin-2, possess specific lipid-binding activity and are up-regulated in obese human subjects and animal models. They act as lipid chaperones to promote lipotoxicity in endothelial cells and cause endothelial dysfunction under obese conditions. However, different small lipid-binding proteins modulate the development of vascular complications in distinctive manners, which are partly attributed to their specialized structural features and functionalities. By focusing on A-FABP and lipocalin-2, this review summarizes recent advances demonstrating the causative roles of these newly identified adipose tissue-derived lipid chaperones in obesity-related endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular complications. The specific lipid-signalling mechanisms mediated by these two proteins are highlighted to support their specialized functions. In summary, A-FABP and lipocalin-2 represent potential therapeutic targets to design drugs for preventing vascular diseases associated with obesity.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This article is part of a themed section on Fat and Vascular Responsiveness. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2012.165.issue-3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. yuwanghk@hku.hk
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins