The Second Clinical Medical School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Aug 10;24(16):12655. doi: 10.3390/ijms241612655.
Fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4), commonly known as adipocyte-fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), is a pleiotropic adipokine that broadly affects immunity and metabolism. It has been increasingly recognized that FABP4 dysfunction is associated with various metabolic syndromes, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic inflammation. However, its explicit roles within the context of women's reproduction and pregnancy remain to be investigated. In this review, we collate recent studies probing the influence of FABP4 on female reproduction, pregnancy, and even fetal health. Elevated circulating FABP4 levels have been found to correlate with impaired reproductive function in women, such as polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis. Throughout pregnancy, FABP4 affects maternal-fetal interface homeostasis by affecting both glycolipid metabolism and immune tolerance, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, gestational obesity, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. Moreover, maternal FABP4 levels exhibit a substantial linkage with the metabolic health of offspring. Herein, we discuss the emerging significance and potential application of FABP4 in reproduction and pregnancy health and delve into its underlying mechanism at molecular levels.
脂肪酸结合蛋白 4（FABP4），通常被称为脂肪细胞脂肪酸结合蛋白（A-FABP），是一种具有多种功能的脂肪因子，广泛影响免疫和代谢。人们越来越认识到，FABP4 功能障碍与各种代谢综合征有关，包括肥胖、糖尿病、心血管疾病和代谢性炎症。然而，其在女性生殖和妊娠中的明确作用仍有待研究。在这篇综述中，我们汇集了最近的研究，探讨了 FABP4 对女性生殖、妊娠甚至胎儿健康的影响。研究发现，循环中 FABP4 水平升高与女性生殖功能障碍有关，如多囊卵巢综合征和子宫内膜异位症。在整个妊娠期间，FABP4 通过影响糖脂代谢和免疫耐受来影响母体-胎儿界面的动态平衡，导致不良的妊娠结局，包括流产、妊娠肥胖、妊娠糖尿病和子痫前期。此外，母体 FABP4 水平与后代的代谢健康有很大的关联。本文讨论了 FABP4 在生殖和妊娠健康方面的新意义和潜在应用，并深入探讨了其在分子水平上的潜在机制。
