Yeung D C Y, Xu A, Cheung C W S, Wat N M S, Yau M H, Fong C H Y, Chau M T, Lam K S L
Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2007 Aug;27(8):1796-802. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.107.146274. Epub 2007 May 17.
Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) has been shown to be an important player in atherosclerosis in animal models. However, the clinical relevance of these findings is still unknown. This study aims to examine the relationship between serum A-FABP level and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), an indicator of atherosclerosis in humans.
The study cohort included 479 Chinese subjects who underwent carotid IMT measurement. Serum A-FABP levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Serum A-FABP levels positively correlated with carotid IMT in both men (r=0.211, P=0.001) and women (r=0.435, P<0.001). In women, but not in men, the presence of plaques was associated with significantly higher serum A-FABP levels (P<0.001 versus women without plaques). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that serum A-FABP level was independently associated with carotid IMT in women (P=0.034), together with age and hypertension (both P<0.001).
A-FABP is an independent determinant of carotid atherosclerosis in Chinese women, but not in men. This gender difference may be attributed to the lower serum A-FABP levels in men, and the effect of other risk factors, such as smoking, among our male participants. Our results have provided clinical evidence supporting the role of A-FABP in the development of atherosclerosis.
在动物模型中，脂肪细胞脂肪酸结合蛋白（A-FABP）已被证明是动脉粥样硬化中的一个重要因素。然而，这些研究结果的临床相关性仍不清楚。本研究旨在探讨血清A-FABP水平与颈动脉内膜中层厚度（IMT）之间的关系，颈动脉内膜中层厚度是人类动脉粥样硬化的一个指标。
研究队列包括479名接受颈动脉IMT测量的中国受试者。采用酶联免疫吸附测定法测定血清A-FABP水平。血清A-FABP水平在男性（r=0.211，P=0.001）和女性（r=0.435，P<0.001）中均与颈动脉IMT呈正相关。在女性中，而非男性中，斑块的存在与血清A-FABP水平显著升高相关（与无斑块女性相比，P<0.001）。逐步多元回归分析显示，血清A-FABP水平在女性中与颈动脉IMT独立相关（P=0.034），同时与年龄和高血压相关（两者P<0.001）。
A-FABP是中国女性颈动脉粥样硬化的独立决定因素，但在男性中不是。这种性别差异可能归因于男性较低的血清A-FABP水平，以及我们男性参与者中其他危险因素（如吸烟）的影响。我们的结果提供了临床证据，支持A-FABP在动脉粥样硬化发展中的作用。
