Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4 in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases

Single-cell analysis of salt-induced hypertensive mouse aortae reveals cellular heterogeneity and state changes

Elevated blood pressure caused by excessive salt intake is common and associated with cardiovascular diseases in most countries. However, the composition and responses of vascular cells in the progression of hypertension have not been systematically described. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on the aortic arch from C57BL/6J mice fed a chow/high-salt diet. We identified 19 distinct cell populations representing 12 lineages, including smooth muscle cells (SMCs), fibroblasts, endothelial cells (ECs), B cells, and T cells. During the progression of hypertension, the proportion of three SMC subpopulations, two EC subpopulations, and T cells increased. In two EC clusters, the expression of reactive oxygen species-related enzymes, collagen and contractility genes was upregulated. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that three SMC subsets underwent endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. We also constructed intercellular networks and found more frequent cell communication among aortic cells in hypertension and that some signaling pathways were activated during hypertension. Finally, joint public genome-wide association study data and our single-cell RNA-sequencing data showed the expression of hypertension susceptibility genes in ECs, SMCs, and fibroblasts and revealed 21 genes involved in the initiation and development of high-salt-induced hypertension. In conclusion, our data illustrate the transcriptional landscape of vascular cells in the aorta associated with hypertension and reveal dramatic changes in cell composition and intercellular communication during the progression of hypertension.

Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4 (FABP4) Is Associated with Cartilage Thickness in End-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

There is no single blood biomarker for the staging of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of obesity, serum biomarkers, the hip-knee-ankle angle (HKAA) with sonographic cartilage thickness.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of n = 33 patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. Body mass index (BMI) was recorded, and patients were grouped based on BMI. Serum blood samples were collected, and the following biomarkers were measured using the ELISA technique (subgroup of n = 23): oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), membrane-bound phospholipase A2 (PLA2G2A). The HKAA was analyzed on full-length limb standing x-ray images. Cartilage thickness was assessed on ultrasound images. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to account for confounding.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age, gender, and HKAA, obese patients had thicker medial femoral cartilage (β = 0.165, P = 0.041). Furthermore, lateral cartilage thickness was negatively correlated with FABP4 level after adjusting for of age, gender, BMI, and HKAA (β = -0.006, P = 0.001). Confirming previous studies, after adjustment, FABP4 level was associated with a higher BMI group (β = 42.99, P < 0.001). None of the other markers (oxLDL, PLA2G2A, and sRAGE) was associated with BMI or cartilage thickness.

DISCUSSION

Our results indicate that BMI has a weak, positive association with cartilage thickness in end-stage KOA patients. FABP4 levels were negatively associated with cartilage thickness. While our study is limited by a small sample size, these results further highlight the role of FABP4 as promising biomarkers of burden of disease in KOA.

Staufen1 unwinds the secondary structure and facilitates the translation of fatty acid binding protein 4 mRNA during adipogenesis

Adipogenesis is regulated by genetic interactions, in which post-transcriptional regulation plays an important role. Staufen double-stranded RNA binding protein 1 (Staufen1 or STAU1) plays diverse roles in RNA processing and adipogenesis. Previously, we found that the downregulation of STAU1 affects the expression of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) at the protein level but not at the mRNA level. This study aimed to determine the mechanism underlying the regulation of FABP4 expression by STAU1, explaining the inconsistency between FABP4 mRNA and protein levels. We used RNA interference, photoactivatable ribonucleoside enhanced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation, and an adeno-associated virus to examine the functions of STAU1 in adipogenesis. Our results indicate that STAU1 binds to the coding sequences of FABP4, thereby regulating the translation of FABP4 mRNA by unwinding the double-stranded structure. Furthermore, STAU1 mediates adipogenesis by regulating the secretion of free fatty acids. However, STAU1 knockdown decreases the fat weight/body weight ratio but does not affect the plasma triglyceride levels. These findings describe the mechanisms involved in STAU1-mediated regulation of FABP4 expression at the translational level during adipogenesis.

Association of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein and tumor necrosis factor alpha with periodontal health and disease: A cross-sectional investigation

Background

Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) is a novel biomarker of inflammation for various chronic systemic diseases. Since periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease, this study explores the association of A-FABP with periodontal disease parameters and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in gingival crevicular fluid in periodontal health and disease.

Materials and Methods

This original research article describes a cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Periodontics, M. R. Ambedkar Dental College and Hospital, Bangalore, India. This cross-sectional investigation was conducted on sixty subjects which were divided into three groups of twenty subjects each - healthy, gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis. Clinical parameters - plaque index, bleeding index, probing depth, and clinical attachment loss were recorded. Gingival crevicular fluid samples were analyzed for A-FABP and TNF-α levels using ELISA. One-way analysis of variance was used to find the significance of study parameters on a continuous scale between three groups. Pearson's correlation has been used to find the relationship between Gingival crevicular fluid concentration of markers and periodontal parameters. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to the study. The statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05.

Results

Mean concentration of A-FABP (6.43 ± 2.51) and TNF-α (3454.82 ± 1566.44) was highest in the periodontitis group, and the difference among the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between clinical attachment loss and the two markers among all groups. The correlation between A-FABP and TNF-α in periodontitis groups was positive and statistically significant (P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression model was statistically significant (P < 0.05) indicating that there is a significant relationship between the set of predictors and the clinical attachment loss.

Conclusion

A-FABP and TNF-α levels in GCF were significantly elevated in the presence of inflammation. A-FABP has a probable stimulatory effect on TNF-α; however, its role needs to be explored. A-FABP could serve as a novel inflammatory biomarker of periodontitis and the scope of using A-FABP inhibition as a treatment modality could be investigated with interventional studies.

Independent Association of Fatty Liver Index With Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Subjects Without Medication

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has been reported to be potentially linked to cardiovascular disease. Fatty liver index (FLI) is a noninvasive and simple predictor of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, little is known about the relationship between FLI and cardiac function, especially in a general population. We investigated the relationships of FLI with echocardiographic parameters in 185 subjects (men/women: 79/106) of the Tanno-Sobetsu Study, a population-based cohort, who were not being treated with any medication and who underwent echocardiography. FLI was negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and peak myocardial velocity during early diastole (e'; r = -0.342, p <0.001), an index of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, and ratio of peak mitral velocities during early and late diastole (E/A) and was positively correlated with age, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, creatinine, uric acid, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, ratio of mitral to myocardial early diastolic peak velocity (E/e'), left atrial volume index and LV mass index. No significant correlation was found between FLI and LV ejection fraction. Stepwise multivariable regression analysis showed that FLI was independently and negatively associated with e' after adjustment of age, gender, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Conversely, e' was independently and negatively associated with FLI after adjustment of age, gender, systolic blood pressure, and LV ejection fraction. In conclusion, elevated FLI is independently associated with LV diastolic dysfunction in a general population without medication. FLI would be a novel marker of LV diastolic dysfunction as an early sign of myocardial injury.

Novel Biomolecules in the Pathogenesis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common metabolic diseases in pregnant women. Its early diagnosis seems to have a significant impact on the developing fetus, the course of delivery, and the neonatal period. It may also affect the later stages of child development and subsequent complications in the mother. Therefore, the crux of the matter is to find a biopredictor capable of singling out women at risk of developing GDM as early as the very start of pregnancy. Apart from the well-known molecules with a proven and clear-cut role in the pathogenesis of GDM, e.g., adiponectin and leptin, a potential role of newer biomolecules is also emphasized. Less popular and less known factors with different mechanisms of action include: galectins, growth differentiation factor-15, chemerin, omentin-1, osteocalcin, resistin, visfatin, vaspin, irisin, apelin, fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), fibroblast growth factor 21, and lipocalin-2. The aim of this review is to present the potential and significance of these 13 less known biomolecules in the pathogenesis of GDM. It seems that high levels of FABP4, low levels of irisin, and high levels of under-carboxylated osteocalcin in the serum of pregnant women can be used as predictive markers in the diagnosis of GDM. Hopefully, future clinical trials will be able to determine which biomolecules have the most potential to predict GDM.

The adipokine FABP4 is a key regulator of neonatal glucose homeostasis

During pregnancy, fetal glucose production is suppressed, with rapid activation immediately postpartum. Fatty acid–binding protein 4 (FABP4) was recently demonstrated as a regulator of hepatic glucose production and systemic metabolism in animal models. Here, we studied the role of FABP4 in regulating neonatal glucose hemostasis. Serum samples were collected from pregnant women with normoglycemia or gestational diabetes at term, from the umbilical circulation, and from the newborns within 6 hours of life. The level of FABP4 was higher in the fetal versus maternal circulation, with a further rise in neonates after birth of approximately 3-fold. Neonatal FABP4 inversely correlated with blood glucose, with an approximately 10-fold increase of FABP4 in hypoglycemic neonates. When studied in mice, blood glucose of 12-hour-old WT, Fabp4^–/+, and Fabp4^–/– littermate mice was 59 ± 13 mg/dL, 50 ± 11 mg/dL, and 43 ± 11 mg/dL, respectively. Similar to our observations in humans, FABP4 levels in WT mouse neonates were approximately 8-fold higher compared with those in adult mice. RNA sequencing of the neonatal liver suggested altered expression of multiple glucagon-regulated pathways in Fabp4^–/– mice. Indeed, Fabp4^–/– liver glycogen was inappropriately intact, despite a marked hypoglycemia, with rapid restoration of normoglycemia upon injection of recombinant FABP4. Our data suggest an important biological role for the adipokine FABP4 in the orchestrated regulation of postnatal glucose metabolism.

FABP4 knockdown suppresses inflammation, apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes by activating PPARγ to regulate the NF-κB signaling pathway

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease that can lead to severe joint pain and loss of function, seriously threatening the health and normal life of patients. At present, the pathogenesis of OA remains to be clarified. Recent studies have shown that fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) is increased in the plasma and synovial fluid of patients with OA. However, the effect of FABP4 on OA is unclear. The present study established IL-1β-induced ATDC5 cells with FABP4 knockdown. Next, cell viability was detected with Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The content of inflammatory factors, prostaglandin E2 and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) was detected via ELISA. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in cells were detected by using ROS and SOD kits, respectively. TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis level. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of proteins. The results revealed that FABP4 was upregulated in IL-1β-induced ATDC5 cells. Knockdown of FABP4 increased cell viability, reduced inflammatory damage, oxidative stress and apoptosis in IL-1β-induced ATDC5 cells. Following FABP4 knockdown, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP3, MMP9 and MMP13) of IL-1β-induced ATDC5 cells was reduced, and the expression of GAG was promoted. FABP4 knockdown also inhibited the expression of NF-κB p65 and enhanced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ expression. However, the presence of PPARγ inhibitor blocked the aforementioned effects of FABP4 on IL-1β-induced ATDC5 cells. In conclusion, FABP4 knockdown suppressed the inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation of IL-1β-induced chondrocytes by activating PPARγ to inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Essential Fatty Acids as Biomedicines in Cardiac Health

The destructive impact of cardiovascular diseases on health, including heart failure, peripheral artery disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, and other cardiac pathological conditions, positions these health conditions as leading causes of increased global mortality rates, thereby impacting the human quality of life. The considerable changes in modern lifestyles, including the increase in food intake and the change in eating habits, will unavoidably lead to an unbalanced consumption of essential fatty acids, with a direct effect on cardiovascular health problems. In the last decade, essential fatty acids have become the main focus of scientific research in medical fields aiming to establish their impact for preventing cardiovascular diseases and the associated risk factors. Specifically, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), such as omega 3 fatty acids, and monounsaturated fatty acids from various sources are mentioned in the literature as having a cardio-protective role, due to various biological mechanisms that are still to be clarified. This review aims to describe the major biological mechanisms of how diets rich in essential fatty acids, or simply essential fatty acid administration, could have anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, anti-arrhythmic, antithrombotic, antioxidant, and anti-atherogenic effects. This review describes findings originating from clinical studies in which dietary sources of FAs were tested for their role in mitigating the impact of heart disorders in human health.

Interplay between adipose tissue secreted proteins, eating behavior and obesity

Purpose

Adipokines may play an important role in the complex etiology of human obesity and its metabolic complications. Here, we analyzed the relationship between 15 adipokines, eating behavior and body-mass index (BMI).

Methods

The study included 557 participants of the Sorbs (62.1% women, 37.9% men) and 3101 participants of the population-based LIFE-Adult cohorts (53.4% women, 46.4% men) who completed the German version of the Three-Factor-Eating Questionnaire to assess the eating behavior types cognitive restraint, disinhibition and hunger. Serum levels of 15 adipokines, including adiponectin, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (AFABP), angiopoietin-related growth factor (AGF), chemerin, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-19, FGF-21, FGF-23, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, interleukin (IL) 10, irisin, progranulin, vaspin, pro-neurotensin (pro-NT), pro-enkephalin (PENK) and leptin were measured. Based on significant correlations between several adipokines with different eating behavior items and BMI, we conducted mediation analyses, considering the eating behavior items as potential mediation variable towards BMI.

Results

Here, we found that the positive association between chemerin, AFABP or leptin and BMI in Sorbian women was mediated by higher restraint or disinhibited eating, respectively. Additionally, in Sorbian women, the negative relation between IGF-1 and BMI was mediated by higher disinhibition and the positive link between AGF and BMI by lower disinhibition. In Sorbian men, the negative relationship between PENK and BMI was mediated by lower disinhibition and hunger, whereas the negative relation between IGF-1 and BMI was mediated by higher hunger. In the LIFE-Adult women´s cohort, associations between chemerin and BMI were mediated by decreased hunger or disinhibition, respectively, whereas relations between PENK and BMI were fully mediated by decreased disinhibition.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that adipokines such as PENK, IGF-1, chemerin, AGF, AFABP and leptin might affect the development of obesity by directly modifying individual eating behavior. Given the observational nature of the study, future experimental or mechanistic work is warranted.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00394-021-02687-w.

Stage specific transcriptome profiles at cardiac lineage commitment during cardiomyocyte differentiation from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells

Cardiomyocyte differentiation occurs through complex and finely regulated processes including cardiac lineage commitment and maturation from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). To gain some insight into the genome-wide characteristics of cardiac lineage commitment, we performed transcriptome analysis on both mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and human induced PSCs (hiPSCs) at specific stages of cardiomyocyte differentiation. Specifically, the gene expression profiles and the protein–protein interaction networks of the mESC-derived platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRα)⁺ cardiac lineage-committed cells (CLCs) and hiPSC-derived kinase insert domain receptor (KDR)⁺ and PDGFRα⁺ cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) at cardiac lineage commitment were compared with those of mesodermal cells and differentiated cardiomyocytes. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed that the genes significantly upregulated at cardiac lineage commitment were associated with responses to organic substances and external stimuli, extracellular and myocardial contractile components, receptor binding, gated channel activity, PI3K‑AKT signaling, and cardiac hypertrophy and dilation pathways. Protein–protein interaction network analysis revealed that the expression levels of genes that regulate cardiac maturation, heart contraction, and calcium handling showed a consistent increase during cardiac differentiation; however, the expression levels of genes that regulate cell differentiation and multicellular organism development decreased at the cardiac maturation stage following lineage commitment. Additionally, we identified for the first time the protein–protein interaction network connecting cardiac development, the immune system, and metabolism during cardiac lineage commitment in both mESC-derived PDGFRα⁺ CLCs and hiPSC-derived KDR⁺PDGFRα⁺ CPCs. These findings shed light on the regulation of cardiac lineage commitment and the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases.

Features of Changes in the Structural and Functional State of the Myocardium in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Depending on Body Mass Index Considering FABP4 and CTRP3 Levels

Introduction. Adipokines such as fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 3 (CTRP3) can affect the structural and functional state of the myocardium in patients with acute myocardial infarction and obesity. The objective of the research was to determine the relationship between FABP4, CTRP3 and echocardiographic parameters of the left ventricular myocardium in patients with acute myocardial infarction depending on body mass index. Materials and Methods. The observational cross-sectional study examined 189 patients with acute myocardial infarction depending on body mass index, who were divided into the following groups: Group 1 included 60 patients with acute myocardial infarction and normal body mass index; Group 2 comprised 68 patients with acute myocardial infarction and excess body weight; Group 3 included 61 patients with acute myocardial infarction and obesity. Results. In Group 1, the statistical significance correlations were found: between FABP4 and end-diastolic dimension (EDD; r = -0.458), end-systolic dimension (ESD; r = -0.460), end-diastolic volume (EDV; r = -0.452), left ventricular myocardial mass (LVMM; r = -0.411), LVMM/body surface area index (LVMMI2; r = -0.419); between CTRP3 and EDV (r = 0.425), EDD (r = 0.469), left ventricular relative posterior wall thickness (LVRPWT; r = -0.469). In Group 2, there were found the statistical significance relationships between: FABP4 and EDD (r = 0.461), ESD (r = 0.467), EDV (r = 0.449), end-systolic volume (ESV; r = 0.485), LVMM (r = 0.487), LVMMI1 (r = 0.406); between CTRP3 and EDD (r = -0.440), EDV (r = -0.413), LVMM (r = -0.430), LVMM/height2.7 index (LVMMI1; r = -0.483). In Group 3, the statistical significance correlations were found between: FABP4 and EDV (r = 0.481), ESD (r = 0.411), ESV (r = 0.490), LVMMI1 (r = 0.403); between CTRP3 and EDV (r = -0.326), ESD (r = -0.367), ESV (r = -0.453), LVMMI1 (r = -0.415). Conclusions. In patients with acute myocardial infarction and overweight/obesity, echocardiographic parameters had a significant low positive correlation with FABP4 and a low negative correlation with CTRP3. On the contrary, in patients with acute myocardial infarction and normal body mass index, echocardiographic parameters had a significant low negative correlation with FABP4 and a low positive correlation with CTRP3.

A-FABP in Metabolic Diseases and the Therapeutic Implications: An Update

Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), which is also known as ap2 or FABP4, is a fatty acid chaperone that has been further defined as a fat-derived hormone. It regulates lipid homeostasis and is a key mediator of inflammation. Circulating levels of A-FABP are closely associated with metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic diseases with imminent diagnostic and prognostic significance. Numerous animal studies have elucidated the potential underlying mechanisms involving A-FABP in these diseases. Recent studies demonstrated its physiological role in the regulation of adaptive thermogenesis and its pathological roles in ischemic stroke and liver fibrosis. Due to its implication in various diseases, A-FABP has become a promising target for the development of small molecule inhibitors and neutralizing antibodies for disease treatment. This review summarizes the clinical and animal findings of A-FABP in the pathogenesis of cardio-metabolic diseases in recent years. The underlying mechanism and its therapeutic implications are also highlighted.

Association between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Circulating Proteins in 50-Year-Old Swedish Men and Women: a Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

A strong cardiorespiratory fitness is suggested to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk; the exact mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effects of fitness remain uncertain. Our aim was to investigate associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and multiple plasma proteins, in order to obtain insights about physiological pathways associated with the effects of exercise on cardiovascular health.

METHODS

In the Prospective investigation of Obesity, Energy and Metabolism (POEM) study (n=444 adults aged 50 years, 50% women), cardiorespiratory fitness was measured by a maximal exercise test on bicycle ergometer with gas exchange (VO₂peak) normalized for body lean mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)). We measured 82 cardiovascular proteins associated with cardiovascular pathology and inflammation in plasma samples with a proximity extension assay.

RESULTS

In sex-adjusted linear regression, VO₂peak was associated with 18 proteins after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing (p<0.0006). Following additional adjustment for fat mass (DXA), fasting glucose (mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein (LDL, mmol/L), smoking status, waist/hip ratio, blood pressure (mmHg), education level, and lpnr (lab sequence number), higher VO₂peak was significantly associated with lower levels of 6 proteins: fatty-acid binding protein-4 (FABP4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), leptin, cystatin-B (CSTB), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), and higher levels of 3 proteins: galanin, kallikrein-6 (KLK6), and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), at nominal p-values (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified multiple novel associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and plasma proteins involved in several atherosclerotic processes and key cellular mechanisms such as inflammation, energy homeostasis, and protease activity, which shed new light on how exercise asserts its beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Our findings encourage additional studies in order to understand the underlying causal mechanisms for these associations.

Adipogenesis and therapeutic potentials of antiobesogenic phytochemicals: Insights from preclinical studies

Obesity is one of the most serious public health problems in both developed and developing countries in recent years. While lifestyle and diet modifications are the most important management strategies of obesity, these may be insufficient to ensure long-term weight reduction in certain individuals and alternative strategies including pharmacotherapy need to be considered. However, drugs option remains limited due to low efficacy and adverse effects associated with their use. Hence, identification of safe and effective alternative therapeutic agents remains warranted to combat obesity. In recent years, bioactive phytochemicals are considered as valuable sources for the discovery of new pharmacological agents for the treatment of obesity. Adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia increases with obesity and undergo molecular and cellular alterations that can affect systemic metabolism giving rise to metabolic syndrome and comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Many phytochemicals have been reported to target adipocytes by inhibiting adipogenesis, inducing lipolysis, suppressing the differentiation of preadipocytes to mature adipocytes, reducing energy intake, and boosting energy expenditure mainly in vitro and in animal studies. Nevertheless, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of these phytochemicals. This review outlines common pathways involved in adipogenesis and phytochemicals targeting effector molecules of these pathways, the challenges faced and the way forward for the development of phytochemicals as antiobesity agents.

Serum fatty acid-binding protein 4 levels and responses of pancreatic islet β-cells and α-cells in patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Serum fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), as an intracellular lipid chaperone and adipokine, was reported to be related to the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and diabetic complications, but its association with pancreatic islet β-cell and α-cell functions has not been fully elucidated. So the present study was to investigate the serum FABP4 levels and responses of islet β-cells and α-cells in patients with T2D.

METHODS

115 patients with T2D and 89 healthy controls (HC), who received serum FABP4 levels test, were recruited to participate in this study. Moreover, 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in T2D patients to evaluate islet β-cell and α-cell functions. Systemic insulin sensitivity and overall insulin secretion of islet β-cell function were assessed by Matsuda index using C peptide (ISI_M-cp) and ratio of the area under the C peptide curve to the glucose curve (AUC_cp/glu) during OGTT, respectively. Fasting glucagon (Gluca_0min) and postchallenge glucagon assessed by the area under the glucagon curve (AUC_gluca) were determined during OGTT to evaluate islet α-cell function. And other various clinical variables were also measured in all participants. Skewed variables were natural log-transformed (ln), such as lnFABP4.

RESULTS

The serum FABP4 levels in T2D patients were significantly higher than those in HC (p < 0.05). And after partially adjusting for fasting plasma glucose, serum lnFABP4 levels were negatively correlated with lnISI_M-cp (r =  - 0.332, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with lnAUC_cp/glu (r = 0.324, p < 0.001), lnGluca_0min (r = 0.200, p = 0.040) and lnAUC_gluca (r = 0.311, p < 0.001), respectively, in patients with T2D. Furthermore, when multiple linear regression analyses were applied to adjust for other various clinical variables, serum lnFABP4 levels were found to remain associated with lnISI_M-cp (β =  - 0.296, t =  - 2.900, p = 0.005), lnAUC_cp/glu (β = 0.223, t = 2.038, p = 0.046), lnGluca_0min (β = 0.272, t = 2.330, p = 0.024) and lnAUC_gluca (β = 0.341, t = 3.065, p = 0.004), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Increased serum FABP4 levels were closely associated with blunted insulin sensitivity, increased insulin secretion, and elevated fasting and postchallenge glucagon levels in patients with T2D.

Association between circulating furin levels, obesity and pro-inflammatory markers in children

AIM

To, in children, investigate the associations between serum furin, obesity, overweight, body fat and circulating markers reflecting adipose tissue or systemic inflammation.

METHODS

We analysed furin, leptin, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, triglycerides, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and C-reactive protein in serum from 166 children in the Pediatric Osteoporosis Prevention (POP) study collected at mean age (SD) 9.9 (0.6) years. Children were classified as low-to-normal weight, overweight or obese. Total body fat mass (kg), trunk fat mass (kg) and total body lean mass (kg) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Body fat percentage (%) was calculated.

RESULTS

We found that circulating furin levels were higher in children with obesity and overweight compared with children with low-to-normal weight (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). Also, there were positive correlations between circulating furin, total body fat mass, trunk fat mass, body fat percentage, triglycerides, adipokines and pro-inflammatory markers.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates associations between furin, adiposity and a pro-inflammatory milieu in children. We suggest that future studies investigate the role of furin in fat tissue inflammation and associated increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases in children. Studies should also investigate whether higher furin levels could be a link between obesity and severe coronavirus disease 2019 in children.

FABP5 Is a Sensitive Marker for Lipid-Rich Macrophages in the Luminal Side of Atherosclerotic Lesions

Lipid-rich macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions are thought to be derived from myeloid and vascular smooth muscle cells. A series of studies with genetic and pharmacological inhibition of fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and FABP5 and bone marrow transplant experiments with FABP4/5 deficient cells in mice have demonstrated that these play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. However, it is still uncertain about the differential cell-type specificity and distribution between FABP4- and FABP5-expressing cells in early- and late-stage atherosclerotic lesions. In this study, we first explored spatial distribution of FABP4/5 in atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE-/-) mice. FABP4 was only marginally detected in early and advanced lesions, whereas FABP5 was abundantly expressed in these lesions. In advanced lesions, the FABP5-positive area was mostly restricted to the foam cell layer adjacent to the lumen above collagen and elastic fibers with a high signal/noise ratio. Oil red O (ORO) staining revealed that FABP5-positive cells were lipid-rich in early and advanced lesions. Together, most of lipid-rich FABP5-positive cells reside adjacent to the lumen above collagen and elastic fibers. We next studied involvement of FABP5 in lesion formation of atherosclerosis using ApoE-/- FABP5-/- mice. However, deletion of FABP5 did not affect the development of atherosclerosis. These findings, along with previous reports, suggest a novel notion that FABP5 is a sensitive marker for bone marrow-derived lipid-rich macrophages in the luminal side of atherosclerotic lesions, although its functional significance remains elusive.

HIF1α-Regulated Expression of the Fatty Acid Binding Protein Family Is Important for Hypoxic Reactivation of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus

The hypoxic microenvironment and metabolic reprogramming are two major contributors to the phenotype of oncogenic virus-infected cells. Infection by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) and reprograms cellular metabolism. We investigated the comparative transcriptional regulation of all major genes involved in fatty acid and amino acid metabolism in KSHV-positive and -negative cells grown under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. We show a distinct regulation of genes involved in both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism in KSHV-positive cells grown in either normoxic or hypoxic conditions, with a particular focus on genes involved in the acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) pathway. The fatty acid binding protein (FABP) family of genes, specifically FABP1, FABP4, and FABP7, was also observed to be synergistically upregulated in hypoxia by KSHV. This pattern of FABP gene expression was also seen in naturally infected KSHV BC3 or BCBL1 cells when compared to KSHV-negative DG75 or BL41 cells. Two KSHV-encoded antigens, which positively regulate HIF1α, the viral G-protein coupled receptor (vGPCR), and the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) were shown to drive upregulation of the FABP gene transcripts. Suppression of FABPs by RNA interference resulted in an adverse effect on hypoxia-dependent viral reactivation. Overall, this study provides new evidence, which supports a rationale for the inhibition of FABPs in KSHV-positive cells as potential strategies, for the development of therapeutic approaches targeting KSHV-associated malignancies.IMPORTANCE Hypoxia is a detrimental stress to eukaryotes and inhibits several cellular processes, such as DNA replication, transcription, translation, and metabolism. Interestingly, the genome of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is known to undergo productive replication in hypoxia. We investigated the comparative transcriptional regulation of all major genes involved in fatty acid and amino acid metabolism in KSHV-positive and -negative cells grown under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Several metabolic pathways were observed differentially regulated by KSHV in hypoxia, specifically, the fatty acid binding protein (FABP) family genes (FABP1, FABP4, and FABP7). KSHV-encoded antigens, vGPCR and LANA, were shown to drive upregulation of the FABP transcripts. Suppression of FABPs by RNA interference resulted in an adverse effect on hypoxia-dependent viral reactivation. Overall, this study provides new evidence, which supports a rationale for the inhibition of FABPs in KSHV-positive cells as potential strategies, for the development of therapeutic approaches targeting KSHV-associated malignancies.

Exploration of Crucial Mediators for Carotid Atherosclerosis Pathogenesis Through Integration of Microbiome, Metabolome, and Transcriptome

Background

Carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) is an important cause of stroke. Although interactions between the gut microbiome and metabolome have been widely investigated with respect to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, information regarding CAS remains limited.

Materials and Methods

We utilized 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics to investigate the alterations in the gut microbiota and plasma metabolites of 32 CAS patients and 32 healthy controls. The compositions of the gut microbiota differed significantly between the two groups, and a total of 11 differentially enriched genera were identified. In the metabolomic analysis, 11 and 12 significantly changed metabolites were screened in positive (POS) and negative (NEG) modes, respectively. α-N-Phenylacetyl-L-glutamine was an upregulated metabolite in CAS patients detected in both POS and NEG modes and had the highest | log₂(fold change)| in POS mode. In addition, transcriptomic analysis was performed using the GSE43292 dataset.

Results

A total of 132 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. Among the upregulated DEGs in CAS patients, FABP4 exhibited the highest | log₂(fold change)|. Furthermore, FABP4 was positively associated with Acidaminococcus and had the highest Spearman’s correlation coefficient and the most significant p-value among the microbiota–DEG pairs.

Conclusion

In this study, we investigated the potential “microbiota–metabolite–gene” regulatory axis that may act on CAS, and our results may help to establish a theoretical basis for further specialized study of this disease.

Effect of doxorubicin on cardiac lipid metabolism-related transcriptome and the protective activity of Alda-1

The use of doxorubicin (DOX) as an antineoplastic drug is compromised by its cardiotoxicity risk. Although several mechanisms have been proposed for DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction, there is still increased interest in assessing its effects. Likewise, it is important to find protocols that can prevent or minimize the side effects of DOX without hindering its antitumor activity. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying DOX cardiotoxicity, with a special focus on cardiac energy metabolism and the ability of Alda-1 (ALDH2 agonist) to prevent DOX-induced cardiac alterations. We explored the effects of DOX on the histological morphology of the myocardium, on lipid profile, and on the expression of genes related to fatty acid metabolism, in the presence and absence of Alda-1 (8 mg/kg body weight; b.wt.). Two DOX treatment protocols were used: a single dose of DOX (4 mg/kg b.wt.); four doses of DOX (4 mg/kg b.wt.), one dose/week, for 4 weeks. Treatment with DOX caused a progressive injury in the cardiac tissue and an increase in the blood total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, very low-density lipoproteins and triglyceride, as well as an up-regulation of FABP4 (DOX and DOX + Alda-1 groups) and Slc27a2 (in DOX-treated animals). Alda-1 administration promoted reduction in the severity of the histopathological injuries (after single dose of DOX) and Slc27a2 overexpression was restored. In conclusion, the study revealed novel insights regarding the development of DOX-mediated cardiomyopathy, indicating a relationship between DOX exposure and FABP4 and Slc27a2 overexpression, and confirmed the cardioprotective effect of Alda-1.

Molecular mechanisms of inhibitor bindings to A-FABP deciphered by using molecular dynamics simulations and calculations of MM-GBSA

Adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein (A-FABP) plays a central role in many aspects of metabolic diseases. It is an important target in drug design for treatment of FABP-related diseases. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations followed by calculations of molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) and principal components analysis (PCA) were implemented to decipher molecular mechanism correlating with binding of inhibitors 57Q, 57P and L96 to A-FABP. The results show that van der Waals interactions are the leading factors to control associations of 57Q, 57P, and L96 with A-FABP, which reveals an energetic basis for designing of clinically available inhibitors towards A-FABP. The information from PCA and cross-correlation analysis rationally unveils that inhibitor bindings affect conformational changes of A-FABP and change relative movements between residues. Decomposition of binding affinity into contributions of individual residues not only detects hot spots of inhibitor/A-FABP binding but also shows that polar interactions of the positively charged residue Arg126 with three inhibitors provide a significant contribution for stabilization of the inhibitor/A-FABP bindings. Furthermore, the binding strength of L96 to residues Ser55, Phe57 and Lys58 are stronger than that of inhibitors 57Q and 57P to these residues.

ROS Modulating Effects of Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) Polyphenols on Obese Adipocyte Hypertrophy and Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction

Oxidative stress and dysregulated adipocytokine secretion accompanying hypertrophied adipose tissue induce chronic inflammation, which leads to vascular endothelial dysfunction. The present study investigated the ability of anthocyanin (ACN) and non-anthocyanin polyphenol (PP) fractions from lingonberry fruit to mitigate adipose tissue hypertrophy and endothelial dysfunction using 3T3-L1 adipocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). This study showed that the PP fraction decreased intracellular ROS generation in hypertrophied adipocytes by enhancing antioxidant enzyme expression (SOD2) and inhibiting oxidant enzyme expression (NOX4, iNOS). Moreover, PP and ACN fractions reduced triglyceride content in adipocytes accompanied by downregulation of the expression of lipogenic genes such as aP2, FAS, and DAGT1. Treatment with both fractions modulated the mRNA expression and protein secretion of key adipokines in hypertrophied adipocytes. Expression and secretion of leptin and adiponectin were, respectively, down- and upregulated. Furthermore, PP and ACN fractions alleviated the inflammatory response in TNF-α-induced HUVECs by inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory genes (IL-6, IL-1β) and adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1, SELE). The obtained results suggest that consuming polyphenol-rich lingonberry fruit may help prevent and treat obesity and endothelial dysfunction due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.

Decidua basalis and acute atherosis: Expression of atherosclerotic foam cell associated proteins

INTRODUCTION

Uteroplacental acute atherosis is frequently observed in preeclampsia, and shares features with early atherosclerotic lesions, including artery wall foam cells. The lipid-associated proteins FABP4 (fatty acid binding protein 4), perilipin-2, and LOX-1 (lectin-like oxidized LDL-receptor 1) are involved in atherosclerotic foam cell formation. Increased levels of these proteins have been associated with preeclampsia systemically and in placental tissue. Their role in acute atherosis is yet unidentified. Our aim was to describe the presence of these proteins in acute atherosis, and compare our findings to what is known in early atherosclerotic lesions.

METHODS

Serial sections of decidua basalis tissue from 12 normotensive (4 with acute atherosis) and 23 preeclamptic pregnancies (16 with acute atherosis) were stained with HE and immunostained for CK7, CD68, FABP4, perilipin-2, and LOX-1. Artery wall and perivascular protein expression was assessed in 190 spiral artery sections; 55 with acute atherosis.

RESULTS

Acute atherosis foam cells were commonly positive for perilipin-2 (55%), less often for FABP4 (13%), and never for LOX-1. LOX-1 was frequently observed in intramural trophoblasts of normal spiral arteries. Perivascularly, LOX-1 positivity of decidual stromal cells surrounding arteries with acute atherosis was significantly increased as compared to arteries lacking acute atherosis (38% vs. 15%, p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

We found that perilipin-2 and FABP4 are expressed by acute atherosis foam cells, similar to atherosclerosis, supporting possible shared pathways for foam cell generation. Unlike atherosclerosis, LOX-1 is not present in acute atherosis, possibly explained by pregnancy-specific routes to decidua basalis foam cell generation.

Contribution of RAGE axis activation to the association between metabolic syndrome and cancer

Far beyond the compelling proofs supporting that the metabolic syndrome represents a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, a growing body of evidence suggests that it is also a risk factor for different types of cancer. However, the involved molecular mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood, and they have been mainly focused on the individual contributions of each component of the metabolic syndrome such as obesity, hyperglycemia, and high blood pressure to the development of cancer. The Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE) axis activation has emerged as an important contributor to the pathophysiology of many clinical entities, by fueling a chronic inflammatory milieu, and thus supporting an optimal microenvironment to promote tumor growth and progression. In the present review, we intend to highlight that RAGE axis activation is a crosswise element on the potential mechanistic contributions of some relevant components of metabolic syndrome into the association with cancer.

Genetic inhibition of FABP4 attenuated endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury

AIMS

Rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) is life-threatening but effective treatments is lacking. Recently, fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) has been identified as a mediator of ischemic and toxic AKI through regulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in our previous studies. However, the role of FABP4 in rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI and extended organelle dysfunctions need to be explored and validated.

MAIN METHODS

We firstly performed mRNA-seq and bioinformatic analysis to investigate the role of FABP4. The mouse model was established via injecting glycerol to FABP4 wild type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice. Blood biochemical, inflammatory and apoptotic parameters were measured and compared across groups. Representative pathways of ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction were also detected and quantified.

KEY FINDINGS

Comparing FABP4 WT and FABP4 KO model groups, FABP4 deficiency significantly attenuated renal dysfunction, by reducing serum creatinine (165.90 ± 15.61 μmol/L vs 35.5 ± 8.33 μmol/L, p < 0.0001) and blood urea nitrogen (89.78 ± 6.82 mmol/L vs 19.75 ± 5.97 mmol/L, p < 0.0001), and alleviating tubular injury scores. Inflammatory and apoptotic responses were alleviated by FABP4 genetic inhibition. Mechanistically, glycerol injection triggered ER stress characterized by activated IRE1, PERK, and ATF6 signaling pathways, and induced mitochondrial dysfunction supported by ultrastructural damage, energy metabolic derangement, and excessive mitochondrial fission (upregulated DRP1/downregulated OPA1). These two organelle dysfunctions were effectively relieved by FABP4 deficiency.

SIGNIFICANCE

Taken together, genetic inhibition of FABP4 protected against rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI via reducing ER stress as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. FABP4 might act as a novel therapeutic target in rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI.

Elevated circulating FABP4 concentration predicts cardiovascular death in a general population: a 12-year prospective study

Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) is secreted from adipose tissue and acts as an adipokine, and an elevated circulating FABP4 level is associated with metabolic disorders and atherosclerosis. However, little is known about the causal link between circulating FABP4 level and mortality in a general population. We investigated the relationship between FABP4 concentration and mortality including cardiovascular death during a 12-year period in subjects of the Tanno-Sobetsu Study, a population-based cohort (n = 721, male/female: 302/419). FABP4 concentration at baseline was significantly higher in female subjects than in male subjects. All-cause death occurred in 123 (male/female: 74/49) subjects, and 34 (male/female: 20/14) and 42 (male/female: 26/16) subjects died of cardiovascular events and cancer, respectively. When divided into 3 groups according to tertiles of FABP4 level at baseline by sex (T1–T3), Kaplan–Meier survival curves showed that there were significant differences in rates of all-cause death and cardiovascular death, but not cancer death, among the groups. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model analysis with a restricted cubic spline showed that hazard ratio (HR) for cardiovascular death, but not that for all-cause death, significantly increased with a higher FABP4 level at baseline after adjustment of age and sex. The risk of cardiovascular death after adjustment of age, sex, body mass index and levels of brain natriuretic peptide and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the 3rd tertile (T3) group (HR: 4.96, 95% confidence interval: 1.20–22.3) was significantly higher than that in the 1st tertile (T1) group as the reference. In conclusion, elevated circulating FABP4 concentration predicts cardiovascular death in a general population.

Recent Advances in Epigenetics of Macrovascular Complications in Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic and endocrine disorder characterised by hyperglycaemia. Type 2 diabetes mellitus accounts for >90% of people with diabetes. Disorders of blood glucose metabolism and a series of adverse reactions triggered by hyperglycaemia-such as oxidative stress and inflammation-are conducive to the occurrence of diabetic macrovascular complications, which pose severe challenges to the quality of life and life expectancy of people with diabetes. In recent years, epigenetics has attracted more and more researchers' attention as they explore the causes and treatment of diabetes. Epigenetics refers to the regulation of gene expression without changes in gene content. Research focusses on DNA methylation, histone post-translational modification and non-coding RNA. A series of studies have shown that epigenetic regulation accelerates the development of atherosclerosis by interfering with the physiological activities of macrophages, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, such as inflammation, lipid deposition and apoptosis. Therefore, it is particularly important to explore new epigenetic discoveries to reduce the severity and harmfulness of diabetes. This study reviewed recent advances in epigenetics in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and its macrovascular complications.

Fatty acid-binding protein 4 is an independent factor in the pathogenesis of retinal vein occlusion

The main objective of current study was to identify the fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) expressed in both adipocytes and macrophages in vitreous fluid from patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Patients with RVO (n = 14, CRVO; central RVO n = 5, BRVO; branch RVO n = 9) and non-RVO (macular hole or epiretinal membrane, n = 18) were surgically treated by a 25 or 27G vitrectomy. Undiluted vitreous fluid samples obtained as the result of surgery were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to measure the levels of FABP4 and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA).Data including ocular blood flow by laser speckle flow graphy (LSFG), height and weight, systemic blood pressures and several blood biochemistry values were collected. Among the LSFG mean blur rate (MBR) values of the optic nerve head (ONH) at baseline, MA (MBR of all area), MV (MBR of the vascular area), and MV-MT (MBR of the tissue area) were significantly decreased in patients with CRVO. The levels of V-FABP4 and V-VEGFA were relatively or significantly (P< 0.05) higher in the BRVO or CRVO patients compared to the non-RVO patients, respectively. A positive correlation (r = 0.36, P = 0.045) or a negative correlation (r = -0.51, P = 0.006) was observed between Log V-FABP4 and Log V-VEGF, or Log V-FABP4 and MV-MT at post-operative 1-week, respectively. Furthermore, neither of these factors were affected with respect to sex, body mass index and several clinical parameters that were collected, except that a positive correlation was observed for Log V-FABP4 with blood urea nitrogen. Stepwise multivariable regression analyses indicated that MV-MT at post-operative 1week was independently associated with Log V-FABP4 after adjustment for age and gender, and gender and Log V-FABP4 were independently associated with Log V-VEGFA after adjustment for age. The findings reported herein suggest that an independent factor, FABP4 may be synergistically involved in the pathogenesis of RVO with VEGFA.

SPATA4 improves aging-induced metabolic dysfunction through promotion of preadipocyte differentiation and adipose tissue expansion

Spermatogenesis‐associated protein 4 (SPATA4) is conserved across multiple species. However, the function of this gene remains largely unknown. In this study, we generated Spata4 transgenic mice to explore tissue‐specific function of SPATA4. Spata4 overexpression mice displayed increased subcutaneous fat tissue compared with wild‐type littermates at an old age, while this difference was not observed in younger mice. Aging‐induced ectopic fat distribution, inflammation, and insulin resistance were also significantly attenuated by SPATA4. In vitro, SPATA4 promoted preadipocyte differentiation through activation of the ERK1/2 and C/EBPβ pathway and increased the expression of adipokines. These data suggest SPATA4 can regulate lipid accumulation in a tissue‐specific manner and improve aging‐induced dysmetabolic syndromes. Clarifying the mechanism of SPATA4 functioning in lipid metabolism might provide novel therapeutic targets for disease interventions.

Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in relation to Plasma Concentrations of Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4: A Nested Case-Control Study in China

OBJECTIVE

The study is aimed at examining the effects of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) on insulin resistance and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

METHODS

Based on a prospective birth cohort in Beijing, China, we conducted a nested case-control study and analyzed 135 GDM case-control pairs matched by age and the gestational week when they took the oral glucose tolerance test. We performed linear regression to analyze the association of plasma FABP4 concentrations with insulin resistance. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of FABP4 for GDM, controlling for potential confounders, including dietary intake and physical activity.

RESULTS

Plasma FABP4 levels in the first and second trimesters were positively associated with fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the second trimester (both P < 0.001). Compared with those in the lowest FABP4 tertile, women in the highest tertile of FABP4 levels in the first and second trimesters had 1.053 times (OR = 2.053, 95% CI 1.091 to 3.863) and 1.447 times (OR = 2.447, 95% CI 1.305 to 4.588) higher risk of developing GDM.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated FABP4 levels in the first and second trimesters were associated with a higher level of insulin resistance and greater GDM risk, indicating FABP4 might predict women with high risk of developing GDM.

A-FABP-PTEN/AKT Regulates Insulin Resistance in Preadipocyte Cell 3T3-L1 Cells

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore the regulation of A-FABP-PTEN/AKT on insulin resistance in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cell.

METHODS

siRNA interference method was used to knock-down the A-FABP expression in 3T3-L1 cells. The cell proliferation was detected by oil-O staining and MTT. The protein and mRNA expression levels of A-FABP, PTEN and AKT were detected by Western blot and qPCR.

RESULTS

Inhibition of A-FABP expression increased cell proliferation activity of the 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, siRNA3 significantly reduced A-FABP mRNA expression compared with siRNA1 and siRNA2 (P<0.05). The A-FABP mRNA level was significantly increased in the induced 3T3-L1 cells, while the PTEN mRNA expression was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Inhibition of A-FABP can significantly increase the PTEN mRNA expression in the process of induced 3T3-L1 cells (P<0.05). Overexpression of A-FABP can also increase the PTEN mRNA expression in the process of 3T3-L1 cell proliferation (P<0.05). Furthermore, the protein expression levels of PTEN and p-AKT expression were not changed in the process of 3T3-L1 cell proliferation with or without A-FABP interference (P>0.05). However, inhibition of A-FABP significantly increased the PTEN protein expression and reduced the p-AKT protein expression in the induced 3T3-L1 cells.

CONCLUSION

Our finding suggested that A-FABP can directly inhibit the phosphorylation of AKT and increase the PTEN expression in the process of normal adipocyte differentiation, which speculated that A-FABP played a crucial role by adjusting the AKT activity in the process of adipocyte differentiation.

An Amplified Fatty Acid-Binding Protein Gene Cluster in Prostate Cancer: Emerging Roles in Lipid Metabolism and Metastasis

Treatment for early stage and localized prostate cancer (PCa) is highly effective. Patient survival, however, drops dramatically upon metastasis due to drug resistance and cancer recurrence. The molecular mechanisms underlying PCa metastasis are complex and remain unclear. It is therefore crucial to decipher the key genetic alterations and relevant molecular pathways driving PCa metastatic progression so that predictive biomarkers and precise therapeutic targets can be developed. Through PCa cohort analysis, we found that a fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) gene cluster (containing five FABP family members) is preferentially amplified and overexpressed in metastatic PCa. All five FABP genes reside on chromosome 8 at 8q21.13, a chromosomal region frequently amplified in PCa. There is emerging evidence that these FABPs promote metastasis through distinct biological actions and molecular pathways. In this review, we discuss how these FABPs may serve as drivers/promoters for PCa metastatic transformation using patient cohort analysis combined with a review of the literature.

Longitudinal plasma protein profiling of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Comprehensive proteomics profiling may offer new insights into the dysregulated metabolic milieu of type 2 diabetes, and in the future, serve as a useful tool for personalized medicine. This calls for a better understanding of circulating protein patterns at the early stage of type 2 diabetes as well as the dynamics of protein patterns during changes in metabolic status.

METHODS

To elucidate the systemic alterations in early-stage diabetes and to investigate the effects on the proteome during metabolic improvement, we measured 974 circulating proteins in 52 newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve type 2 diabetes subjects at baseline and after 1 and 3 months of guideline-based diabetes treatment, while comparing their protein profiles to that of 94 subjects without diabetes.

FINDINGS

Early stage type 2 diabetes was associated with distinct protein patterns, reflecting key metabolic syndrome features including insulin resistance, adiposity, hyperglycemia and liver steatosis. The protein profiles at baseline were attenuated during guideline-based diabetes treatment and several plasma proteins associated with metformin medication independently of metabolic variables, such as circulating EPCAM.

INTERPRETATION

The results advance our knowledge about the biochemical manifestations of type 2 diabetes and suggest that comprehensive protein profiling may serve as a useful tool for metabolic phenotyping and for elucidating the biological effects of diabetes treatments.

FUNDING

This work was supported by the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, the Erling Persson Foundation, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the Swedish state under the agreement between the Swedish government and the county councils (ALF-agreement).

Increased Serum Adipocyte Fatty Acid-Binding Protein Levels Are Associated with Decreased Sensitivity to Thyroid Hormones in the Euthyroid Population

Background: Serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) and thyroid hormones are closely associated with metabolic disorders; however, their relationship remains unknown. We aimed at investigating the associations of serum A-FABP levels with single and composite indices of the thyroid system. Methods: The study included 1057 community-based euthyroid participants (age range: 27-81 years) in Shanghai, among whom 601 were women. Serum free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and thyrotropin (TSH) were measured by electrochemical luminescence immunoassay. The thyroid feedback quantile-based index (TFQI), thyrotropin index (TSHI), and thyrotroph thyroxine resistance index (TT4RI) were calculated to evaluate central sensitivity to thyroid hormones. Peripheral sensitivity to thyroid hormones was evaluated by the fT3 to fT4 ratio (fT3/fT4). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure serum A-FABP levels. Results: Serum A-FABP levels were 6.41 [95% confidence interval: 6.10-6.74] ng/mL among all subjects. Multiple cardiovascular metabolic risk factors were adjusted in the multivariate linear regression analysis and the multinomial logistic regression analysis (nonordinal). In both sexes, serum A-FABP levels were positively associated with fT4 (men: standardized β = 0.150, p = 0.001; women: standardized β = 0.218, p < 0.001), TFQI (men: standardized β = 0.119, p = 0.009; women: standardized β = 0.165, p < 0.001), and TSHI (men: standardized β = 0.108, p = 0.017; women: standardized β = 0.114, p = 0.005); while they were negatively associated with fT3/fT4 (men: standardized β = -0.122, p = 0.008; women: standardized β = -0.129, p = 0.001). Serum A-FABP levels were not associated with fT3, TSH, or TT4RI. Compared with the first quartile group of TFQI, for every 10 ng/mL increase in A-FABP, the odds ratio (OR) for the third quartile group of TFQI was 2.213 in women (p = 0.035); the ORs for the fourth quartile group of TFQI were 2.614 in men (p = 0.022) and 3.425 in women (p = 0.002). Conclusions: In a euthyroid population, increased serum A-FABP levels were associated with decreased sensitivity to thyroid hormones, suggesting that A-FABP may mediate the "cross-talk" between adipose tissue and the thyroid system.

Significance of urinary fatty acid-binding protein 4 level as a possible biomarker for the identification of minimal change disease in patents with nephrotic-range proteinuria

Background

Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), but not FABP1 (liver-type FABP), is ectopically induced in injured glomerular endothelial cells, and urinary FABP4 (U-FABP4) level is associated with proteinuria and renal dysfunction in a general population.

Methods

The clinical significance of U-FABP4 was investigated in 81 patients (male/female: 43/38, age: 57 ± 17 years) who underwent kidney biopsy.

Results

U-FABP4 was negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (r = − 0.56, P < 0.01) and was positively correlated with age, blood pressure, triglycerides, proteinuria (r = 0.58, P < 0.01), plasma FABP4 and urinary FABP1 (U-FABP1) (r = 0.52, P < 0.01). Multivariable regression analysis showed that eGFR, proteinuria and U-FABP1 were independent predictors of U-FABP4. The level of U-FABP4, but not that of proteinuria, eGFR or U-FABP1, in minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) was significantly lower than the level in membranous nephropathy (MN) and that in diabetic nephropathy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that U-FABP4 level ≤ 0.78 μg/gCr predicted MCNS in patients who had nephrotic-range proteinuria with a high level of accuracy. When divided by the median value of U-FABP4 at baseline in 33 of the 81 patients who could be followed up, the yearly change (post–pre) in eGFR in the low U-FABP4 group was significantly greater than that in the high U-FABP4 group (median: 11.0 vs. -5.0 mL/min/1.73m²/year).

Conclusions

U-FABP4 level is independently associated with proteinuria and renal dysfunction in patients with glomerular kidney disease. A low U-FABP4 level may predict MCNS in patients with nephrotic syndrome and would be a useful biomarker for differential diagnosis of MCNS and MN, which are common causes of nephrotic syndrome.

Supplementary Information

Supplementary information accompanies this paper at 10.1186/s12882-020-02122-y.

New insights into purine metabolism in metabolic diseases: role of xanthine oxidoreductase activity

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) consists of two different forms, xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase (XO), and is a rate-limiting enzyme of uric acid production from hypoxanthine and xanthine. Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism in humans and has a powerful antioxidant effect. The lack of ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, in hominoids has been thought to cause a compensatory increase in uric acid as an antioxidant by unfunctional gene mutation of uricase to a pseudogene. Because XO is involved in an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) by generating superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, inadequate activation of XOR promotes oxidative stress-related tissue injury. Plasma XOR activity is associated with obesity, smoking, liver dysfunction, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and adipokines, indicating a novel biomarker of metabolic disorders. However, XOR activity in adipose tissue is low in humans unlike in rodents, and hypoxanthine is secreted from human adipose tissue. The concentration of hypoxanthine, but not xanthine, is independently associated with obesity in a general population, indicating differential regulation of hypoxanthine and xanthine. Treatment with an XOR inhibitor can decrease uric acid for preventing gout, reduce production of XO-related ROS, and promote reutilization of hypoxanthine and ATP production through the salvage pathway. It has recently been suggested that discontinuation of an XOR inhibitor causes adverse cardiovascular outcomes as XOR inhibitor withdrawal syndrome, possibly due to cardiac disturbance of conduction and contraction by reduced ATP production. New insights into purine metabolism, including the role of XOR activity in the past 5 yr, are mainly discussed in this review.

Use of proteomics to identify biomarkers associated with chronic kidney disease and long-term outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have poor outcomes following myocardial infarction (MI). We performed an untargeted examination of 175 biomarkers to identify those with the strongest association with CKD and to examine the association of those biomarkers with long-term outcomes.

METHODS

A total of 175 different biomarkers from MI patients enrolled in the Swedish Web-System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART) registry were analysed either by a multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry assay or by a multiplex assay (proximity extension assay). Random forests statistical models were used to assess the predictor importance of biomarkers, CKD and outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 1098 MI patients with a median estimated glomerular filtration rate of 85 mL min^-1 /1.73 m² were followed for a median of 3.2 years. The random forests analyses, without and with adjustment for differences in demography, comorbidities and severity of disease, identified six biomarkers (adrenomedullin, TNF receptor-1, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein-4, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand receptor 2, growth differentiation factor-15 and TNF receptor-2) to be strongly associated with CKD. All six biomarkers were also amongst the 15 strongest predictors for death, and four of them were amongst the strongest predictors of subsequent MI and heart failure hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

In patients with MI, a proteomic approach could identify six biomarkers that best predicted CKD. These biomarkers were also amongst the most important predictors of long-term outcomes. Thus, these biomarkers indicate underlying mechanisms that may contribute to the poor prognosis seen in patients with MI and CKD.

Analysis of key genes and pathways in breast ductal carcinoma in situ

Breast cancer (BC) remains the most common cancer in females. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify key genes involved in the carcinogenesis of BC and to explore their prognostic values by integrating bioinformatics tools. The gene expression profiles of 46 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and three normal breast tissues from the GSE59248 dataset were downloaded. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were subsequently identified using the online tool GEO2R and a functional enrichment analysis was performed. In addition, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and the top eight hub genes were identified. The prognostic values of the hub genes were further investigated. A total of 316 DEGs, including 32 upregulated and 284 downregulated genes, were identified. Furthermore, eight hub genes, including lipase E hormone sensitive type, patatin like phospholipase domain containing 2, adiponectin C1Q and collagen domain containing (ADIPOQ), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARG), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and leptin (LEP), were identified from the PPI network. The downregulated expression of ADIPOQ, PPARG, FABP4, LPL and LEP was significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with DCIS. Therefore, these genes may serve as potential biomarkers for prognosis prediction. However, further investigation is required to validate the results obtained in the present study.

Mechanisms of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibition: Insights From Large-Scale Proteomics

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of empagliflozin, a selective sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, on broad biological systems through proteomics.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Aptamer-based proteomics was used to quantify 3,713 proteins in 144 paired plasma samples obtained from 72 participants across the spectrum of glucose tolerance before and after 4 weeks of empagliflozin 25 mg/day. The biology of the plasma proteins significantly changed by empagliflozin (at false discovery rate-corrected P < 0.05) was discerned through Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.

RESULTS

Empagliflozin significantly affected levels of 43 proteins, 6 related to cardiomyocyte function (fatty acid-binding protein 3 and 4 [FABPA], neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase, renin, thrombospondin 4, and leptin receptor), 5 to iron handling (ferritin heavy chain 1, transferrin receptor protein 1, neogenin, growth differentiation factor 2 [GDF2], and β2-microglobulin), and 1 to sphingosine/ceramide metabolism (neutral ceramidase), a known pathway of cardiovascular disease. Among the protein changes achieving the strongest statistical significance, insulin-like binding factor protein-1 (IGFBP-1), transgelin-2, FABPA, GDF15, and sulphydryl oxidase 2 precursor were increased, while ferritin, thrombospondin 3, and Rearranged during Transfection (RET) were decreased by empagliflozin administration.

CONCLUSIONS

SGLT2 inhibition is associated, directly or indirectly, with multiple biological effects, including changes in markers of cardiomyocyte contraction/relaxation, iron handling, and other metabolic and renal targets. The most significant differences were detected in protein species (GDF15, ferritin, IGFBP-1, and FABP) potentially related to the clinical and metabolic changes that were actually measured in the same patients. These novel results may inform further studies using targeted proteomics and a prospective design.

Using proximity extension proteomics assay to discover novel biomarkers associated with circulating leptin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes

We aimed to discover novel associations between leptin and circulating proteins which could link leptin to the development of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In a discovery phase, we investigated associations between 88 plasma proteins, assessed with a proximity extension assay, and plasma leptin in a cohort of middle-aged patients with T2DM. Associations passing the significance threshold of a False discovery rate of 5% (corresponding to p < 0.0017) were replicated in patients with T2DM in an independent cohort. We also investigated if proteins mediated the longitudinal association between plasma leptin and the incidence of major cardiovascular events (MACE). One protein, adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP), was significantly associated with leptin in both the discovery phase [95% CI (0.06, 0.17) p = 0.00002] and the replication cohort [95% CI (0.12, 0.39) p = 0.0003]. Multiplicative interaction analyses in the two cohorts suggest a stronger association between A-FABP and leptin in men than in women. In longitudinal analyses, the association between leptin and MACE was slightly attenuated after adding A-FABP to the multivariate model. Our analysis identified a consistent association between leptin and A-FABP in two independent cohorts of patients with T2DM, particularly in men.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01049737.

Circulating levels of selected adipokines in women with gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUNDS

Adiponectin, adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP), and Wnt1 inducible signaling pathway protein-1 (WISP-1) are adipokines closely associated with insulin resistance. The aim of the study was to compare their levels in women with gestational diabetes (GDM), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and healthy controls and determine their relation to metabolic parameters.

METHODS

Women with GDM, T2DM and healthy women were included in this cross-sectional study. In addition to adipokines, anthropometric, lipid parameters, markers of insulin resistance and glucose control were assessed in all participants.

RESULTS

Compared to healthy controls (n = 35) significantly lower levels of adiponectin were detected in women with GDM (n = 50), whereas in women with T2DM (n = 50) higher levels of A-FABP and WISP-1 and lower levels of adiponectin were found. Women with T2DM had also lower levels of adiponectin and higher levels of A-FABP compared to women with GDM. A-FABP and adiponectin were independently associated with levels of triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and C-peptide insulin resistance index. WISP-1 correlated only with waist circumference.

CONCLUSIONS

Adverse adipokines production reflecting dysfunctional fat tissue is less presented in women with GDM than in women with T2DM, but more expressed compared to healthy women.

Roles Played by Biomarkers of Kidney Injury in Patients with Upper Urinary Tract Obstruction

Partial or complete obstruction of the urinary tract is a common and challenging urological condition caused by a variety of conditions, including ureteral calculi, ureteral pelvic junction obstruction, ureteral stricture, and malignant ureteral obstruction. The condition, which may develop in patients of any age, induces tubular and interstitial injury followed by inflammatory cell infiltration and interstitial fibrosis, eventually impairing renal function. The serum creatinine level is commonly used to evaluate global renal function but is not sensitive to early changes in the glomerular filtration rate and unilateral renal damage. Biomarkers of acute kidney injury are useful for the early detection and monitoring of kidney injury induced by upper urinary tract obstruction. These markers include levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), monocyte chemotactic protein-1, kidney injury molecule 1, N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase, and vanin-1 in the urine and serum NGAL and cystatin C concentrations. This review summarizes the pathophysiology of kidney injury caused by upper urinary tract obstruction, the roles played by emerging biomarkers of obstructive nephropathy, the mechanisms involved, and the clinical utility and limitations of the biomarkers.

The adipokine fatty-acid binding protein 4 and cardiac remodeling

BACKGROUND

Previous publications about the association between fatty-acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and cardiac remodeling have reported different, both beneficial and harmful, associations. Aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the association of FABP4 with parameters of myocardial remodeling defined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR).

METHODS

We investigated plasma FABP4 levels in 331 patients (71% men, mean age 63±13 years) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≥ 55%) who underwent a CMR examination. We used linear cox regression to investigate associations between FABP4 and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), right ventricular end-diastolic diameter (RVEDD), relative wall thickness (RWT), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and LVEF (unadjusted and adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, cardiac biomarkers, and comorbidities).

RESULTS

FABP4 levels were associated with lower LVMI and higher NT-proBNP levels in an adjusted model. The inverse association between FABP4 and LVMI was more pronounced in lower FABP4 levels, whereas the positive association between FABP4 and NT-proBNP was more pronounced in relatively high NT-proBNP levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Possible beneficial and harmful associations between FABP4 and left ventricular size have been reported. Our results suggest a beneficial association with LVMI (more pronounced in lower FABP4 levels) but a harmful association with NT-proBNP (more pronounced in higher FABP4 levels). Therefore, our results might indicate a potential dose-dependent association of FABP4, but this observation needs further investigation in larger study samples.

The offspring from rats fed a fatty diet display impairments in the activation of liver peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha and features of fatty liver disease

Maternal obesity programs liver derangements similar to those of NAFLD. Our main goal was to evaluate whether these liver anomalies were related to aberrant PPARα function. Obesity was induced in female Albino-Wistar rats by a fatty diet (FD rats). Several parameters related to NAFLD were evaluated in both plasma and livers from fetuses of 21 days of gestation and 140-day-old offspring. FD fetuses and offspring developed increased levels of AST and ALT, signs of inflammation and oxidative and nitrative stress-related damage. FD offspring showed dysregulation of Plin2, CD36, Cyp4A, Aco, Cpt-1, Hadha and Acaa2 mRNA levels, genes involved in lipid metabolism and no catabolic effect of the PPARα agonist clofibrate. These results suggest that the FD offspring is prone to develop fatty liver, a susceptibility that can be linked to PPARα dysfunction, and that this could in turn be related to the liver impairments programmed by maternal obesity.

Treatment with anagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, decreases FABP4 concentration in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at a high risk for cardiovascular disease who are receiving statin therapy

Background

Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) acts as a novel adipokine, and elevated FABP4 concentration is associated with obesity, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, a class of antidiabetic drugs, have distinct structures among the drugs, possibly leading to a drug class effect and each drug effect. Sitagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, has been reported to decrease FABP4 concentration in drug-naïve and sulfonylurea-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Anagliptin, another DPP-4 inhibitor, was shown to decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level to a greater extent than that by sitagliptin in the Randomized Evaluation of Anagliptin vs. Sitagliptin On low-density lipoproteiN cholesterol in diabetes (REASON) trial.

Aim and methods

As a sub-analysis study using data obtained from the REASON trial, we investigated the effects of treatment with anagliptin (n = 148, male/female: 89/59) and treatment with sitagliptin (n = 159, male/female: 93/66) for 52 weeks on FABP4 concentration in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at a high risk for cardiovascular events who were receiving statin therapy.

Results

The DPP-4 inhibitor had been administered in 82% of the patients in the anagliptin group and 81% of the patients in sitagliptin group prior to randomization. Serum FABP4 level was significantly decreased by 7.9% by treatment with anagliptin (P = 0.049) and was not significantly decreased by treatment with sitagliptin (P = 0.660). Change in FABP4 level was independently associated with basal FABP4 level and changes in waist circumference and creatinine after adjustment of age, sex and the treatment group.

Conclusion

Anagliptin decreases serum FABP4 concentration independent of change in hemoglobin A1c or LDL-C in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia who are on statin therapy.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02330406. Registered January 5, 2015, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02330406

Fetal macrosomia in a Hispanic/Latinx predominant cohort and altered expressions of genes related to placental lipid transport and metabolism

Fetal overgrowth, termed fetal macrosomia when birth weight is greater than 4000 grams, is the major concern in the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, to date, the underlying mechanisms of fetal macrosomia have not been understood completely. Placental lipid metabolism is emerging as a critical player in fetal growth. In this study, we hypothesized that fatty acid transport and metabolism in the placental tissue was impaired in GDM women, dependent on fetal sex. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the incidence of GDM, fetal macrosomia, and obesity in a large cohort consisting of 17995 pregnant subjects and majority of subjects being Hispanic/Latinx, and investigated expression of genes related to lipid transport and metabolism in placenta from obese women with or without GDM, and with or without fetal macrosomia. The main findings include: 1) There is a higher incidence of GDM and obesity in Hispanic subjects compared to non-Hispanic subjects, but not fetal macrosomia; 2) Expressions of most of genes related to placental lipid transport and metabolism are not altered by the presence of GDM, fetal macrosomia, or fetal sex; 3) Expression of FABP4 is increased in obese women with GDM and fetal macrosomia, and this occurred in male placentas; 4) Expression of LPL is decreased in obese women with GDM despite fetal macrosomia, and this occurred in male placentas; 5) Expression of ANGPTL3 is decreased in obese women with GDM and fetal macrosomia, but is not altered when fetal sex is included in the analysis. This study indicates that there is race disparity in GDM with higher incidence of GDM in obese Hispanic women, although fetal macrosomia disparity is not present. Moreover, altered placental lipid transport may contribute to fetal overgrowth in obese women with GDM.