Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the elderly

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) is an intracellular lipid transporter that mediates metabolically triggered inflammation, and it is associated with insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular risk.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate A-FABP behavior in elderly people, and especially its association with liver steatosis at abdominal ultrasound.

Method

Cross-sectional study of two cohort of individuals with and without steatosis, with assessment of several clinical and laboratory variables. Prospective evaluation of liver steatosis remodeling after six years of follow-up. One hundred and fifty-six subjects aged over 65 years were enrolled.

Results

Serum A-FABP positively correlated with body fat percentage, total cholesterol, serum triglycerides and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Unlike expected, high A-FABP levels were associated with absence of liver steatosis, while there was no evidence of association with steatosis grade changes after 6 years of follow-up.

Conclusion

Among individuals aging more than 65 years included in the study, A-FABP was inversely associated with liver steatosis. It can be argued, that still uncovered mechanisms modify A-FABP behavior in elderly people, especially its association with multifactorial diseases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Furuhashi M, Ishimura S, Ota H et al (2011) Lipid chaperones and metabolic inflammation. Int J Inflam 2011:642612

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Hotamisligil GS (2006) Inflammation and metabolic disorders. Nature Dic 444(7121):860–867

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Baar RA, Dingfelder CS, Smith LA et al (2005) Investigation of in vivo fatty acid metabolism in AFABP/aP2(-/-) mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab Gen 288:E187–E193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Elmasri H, Karaaslan C, Teper Y et al (2009) Fatty acid binding protein 4 is a target of VEGF and a regulator of cell proliferation in endothelial cells. FASEB J 23:3865–3873

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Fu Y, Luo N, Lopes-Virella MF (2000) Oxidized LDL induces the expression of ALBP/aP2 mRNA and protein in human THP-1 macrophages. J Lipid Res Dic 41:2017–2023

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang XQ, Yang K, He YS et al (2011) Receptor mediated elevation in FABP4 levels by advanced glycation end products induces cholesterol and triacylglycerol accumulation in THP-1 macrophages. Lipids 46:479–486

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fu Y, Luo N, Lopes-Virella MF et al (2002) The adipocyte lipid binding protein (ALBP/aP2) gene facilitates foam cell formation in human THP-1 macrophages. Atherosclerosis 165:259–269

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Makowski L, Brittingham KC, Reynolds JM et al (2005) The fatty acid-binding protein, aP2, coordinates macrophage cholesterol trafficking and inflammatory activity. Macrophage expression of aP2 impacts peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and Ikappa B kinase activities. J Biol Chem 280:12888–12895

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hui X, Li H, Zhou Z et al (2010) Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein modulates inflammatory responses in macrophages through a positive feedback loop involving c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases and activator protein-1. J BiolChem 2(285):10273–10280

    Google Scholar 

  10. Stejskal D, Karpisek M (2006) Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein in a Caucasian population: a new marker of metabolic syndrome? Eur J Clin Invest 36:621–625

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kim Y-C, Cho Y-K, Lee W-Y et al (2011) Serum adipocyte-specific fatty acid-binding protein is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in apparently healthy subjects. J Nutr Biochem 22:289–292

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Tuncman G, Erbay E, Hom X et al (2006) A genetic variant at the fatty acid-binding protein aP2 locus reduces the risk for hypertriglyceridemia, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103:6970–6975

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Furuhashi M, Tuncman G, Görgün CZ et al (2007) Treatment of diabetes and atherosclerosis by inhibiting fatty-acid-binding protein aP2. Nature 447(7147):959–965

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Makowski L, Boord JB, Maeda K et al (2001) Lack of macrophage fatty-acid-binding protein aP2 protects mice deficient in apolipoprotein E against atherosclerosis. Nat Med 7:699–705

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Makowski L, Hotamisligil GS (2004) Fatty acid binding proteins–the evolutionary crossroads of inflammatory and metabolic responses. J Nutr 134:2464S–2468S

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Byrne CD, Olufadi R, Bruce KD et al (2009) Metabolic disturbances in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Clin Sci 116:539–564

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bianchi G, Rossi V, Muscari A et al (2008) Physical activity is negatively associated with the metabolic syndrome in the elderly. QJM 101:713–721

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Muscari A, Giannoni C, Pierpaoli L et al (2010) Chronic endurance exercise training prevents aging-related cognitive decline in healthy older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 25:1055–1064

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Washburn RA, Smith KW, Jette AM et al (1993) The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE): development and evaluation. J ClinEpidemiol 46:153–162

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Durnin JV, Womersley J (1974) Body fat assessed from total body density and its estimation from skinfold thickness: measurements on 481 men and women aged from 16 to 72 years. Br J Nutr 32:77–97

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 2009 Gen 32 Suppl 1:S62–67

  22. Executive Summary of The Third Report of The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, And Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol In Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA 2001 285:2486–97

    Google Scholar 

  23. Leite NC, Salles GF, Araujo ALE et al (2009) Prevalence and associated factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. Liver Int Gen 29:113–119

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Doi M, Miyoshi T, Hirohata S et al (2011) Association of increased plasma adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein with coronary artery disease in non-elderly men. Cardiovasc Diabetol 10:44

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Kannel WB, D’Agostino RB, Silbershatz H (1997) Blood pressure and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates in the elderly. Am Heart J 134:758–763

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Cabré A, Lázaro I, Girona J et al (2008) Plasma fatty acid binding protein 4 is associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia in diabetes. J Lipid Res 49:1746–1751

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Rhee EJ, Lee WY, Park CY et al (2009) The association of serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein with coronary artery disease in Korean adults. Eur J Endocrinol 160:165–172

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Jin J, Peng D, Yuan S et al (2010) Serum adipocyte fatty acid binding proteins and adiponectin in patients with coronary artery disease: the significance of A-FABP/adiponectin ratio. Clin ChimActa 411(21–22):1761–1765

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Hsu B-G, Chen Y-C, Lee R-P et al (2010) Fasting serum level of fatty-acid-binding protein 4 positively correlates with metabolic syndrome in patients with coronary artery disease. Circ J 74:327–331

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Morley JE (2012) Undernutrition in older adults. Fam Pract 29(suppl 1):i89–i93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the technical contributions of Raffaela Chianese and Franca Ferri. The study was supported by grants from Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna and Regione Emilia Romagna, Piani per la Salute.

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, via Albertoni 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy

    Marco Masetti, Giampaolo Bianchi, Giordano Gianotti, Marco Giovagnoli, Luca Vizioli, Veronica Zorzi, Valentina Rossi, Paola Forti & Marco Zoli

Authors
  1. Marco Masetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Giampaolo Bianchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Giordano Gianotti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marco Giovagnoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Luca Vizioli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Veronica Zorzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Valentina Rossi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Paola Forti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Marco Zoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Marco Masetti or Giampaolo Bianchi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Masetti, M., Bianchi, G., Gianotti, G. et al. Adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the elderly. Aging Clin Exp Res 26, 241–247 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-013-0156-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-013-0156-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation