FABP4 | eGDMD

By admin , 18 September 2025

Go ontology

Literature evidence

Literature link	GPT Summary	Evidence category	Disease type




38593305	Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), predominantly expressed in adipocytes, monocytes, and macrophages, plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism, immune regulation, and insulin signaling. Its dysregulation has been implicated in obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Elevated FABP4 levels in individuals with obesity (BMI >30) highlight its role in metabolic dysfunction, both in tissues and circulation, where it contributes to systemic inflammation and tumorigenesis. Recent research suggests that FABP4 inhibition could serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for obesity-related diseases, particularly insulin resistance and diabetes. However, given its extensive involvement in metabolic and inflammatory pathways, further studies are required to assess potential side effects before clinical translation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of FABP4’s biological functions and therapeutic potential, offering new perspectives for targeted interventions in metabolic syndrome and related disorders.	Mechanism	Insulin resistance
27147422	This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic potential of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to explore its associations with overweight, insulin resistance, and inflammatory marker TNF-α. Among 46 women with GDM and 55 age-matched non-GDM women, serum FABP4 levels were significantly higher in the GDM group. ROC curve analysis demonstrated a strong predictive value of FABP4 for GDM, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.94. A cutoff value of 1.96 ng/mL provided an optimal balance between specificity (86.96%) and sensitivity (89.09%). FABP4 levels were positively correlated with overweight, insulin resistance, and TNF-α in GDM patients. These findings suggest that FABP4 could be a promising biomarker for early prediction and diagnosis of GDM, offering a potential tool for risk assessment and targeted intervention.	Risk factor	GDM
34880500	Uncontrolled or chronic lipolysis, often associated with insulin resistance and/or insulin insufficiency, disrupts metabolic homeostasis. A newly identified hormone, fatty-acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), is released during lipolysis and has been strongly linked to cardiometabolic diseases. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that FABP4 forms a functional complex with adenosine kinase (ADK) and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK), which regulates extracellular ATP and ADP levels. This hormone complex, which we term Fabkin, has a significant effect on beta-cell function, a central regulator of both lipolysis and diabetes development. We propose that FABP4 is a key component of an adipose-beta-cell endocrine axis. Targeting this hormone complex with antibodies improves metabolic outcomes, enhances beta-cell function, and preserves beta-cell integrity, thereby preventing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Our findings introduce the FABP4-ADK-NDPK complex as a novel hormone and mechanism that integrates energy status with metabolic organ function, highlighting it as a promising therapeutic target for metabolic diseases.	Mechanism	Insulin resistance
18511927	Lipids play a fundamental role in cellular processes and disease pathogenesis, yet the mechanisms linking intracellular lipids to biological targets and signaling pathways remain poorly understood, particularly in lipid-rich cells like adipocytes and macrophages. Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) function as critical lipid chaperones, mediating lipid trafficking, signaling, and metabolic regulation. By influencing diverse lipid signals, FABPs contribute to systemic metabolic homeostasis and inflammatory responses. Emerging pharmacological strategies targeting FABPs hold promise for selectively modulating lipid signaling in specific tissues or cell types, offering a novel therapeutic avenue for metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.	Mechanism	Insulin resistance
34368366	This study investigated the role of fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) in insulin resistance and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using a nested case-control design within a prospective birth cohort in Beijing, China. Plasma FABP4 concentrations in the first and second trimesters were found to be positively associated with fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance (measured by HOMA-IR) in the second trimester. Women in the highest tertile of FABP4 levels had a significantly higher risk of developing GDM, with adjusted odds ratios of 2.053 (95% CI: 1.091-3.863) and 2.447 (95% CI: 1.305-4.588) for the first and second trimesters, respectively. These findings suggest that elevated FABP4 levels early in pregnancy may serve as a predictor of increased insulin resistance and GDM risk, highlighting its potential utility in identifying high-risk individuals for early intervention.	Risk factor	GDM
32747382	This study investigated the association between a panel of adipokines in early and mid-pregnancy and the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies-Singletons cohort. Among 107 GDM cases and 214 non-GDM controls, significant differences in the trajectories of chemerin, sOB-R, adiponectin, and HMW-adiponectin levels were observed from gestational weeks (GWs) 10-14 to 15-26. FABP4, chemerin, IL-6, and leptin were positively associated with increased GDM risk, while adiponectin and sOB-R were inversely associated with GDM risk. For example, at GWs 10-14, the odds ratio (OR) for GDM comparing the highest versus lowest quartile of FABP4 was 3.79, while for adiponectin it was 0.14. Including these adipokines in predictive models improved the area under the curve (AUC) for GDM prediction from 0.71 to 0.77. These findings highlight the potential role of adipokines, particularly FABP4 and chemerin, in the early pathogenesis of GDM and suggest their utility for improving early GDM risk prediction.	Risk factor	GDM