Heart Fatty Acid Binding Protein Levels Research Articles

Resolvin E1 heals injured cardiomyocytes: Therapeutic implications and H-FABP as a readout for cardiovascular disease & systemic inflammation

The purpose of this study is to investigate heart-fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) leakage from cardiomyocytes as a quantitative measure of cell membrane damage and to test healing by Resolvin E1 (RVE1) as a potential therapeutic for patients with inflammatory diseases (cardiovascular disease and comorbidities) with high morbidity and mortality. Our quantitative ELISA assays demonstrated H-FABP as a sensitive and reliable biomarker for measuring cardiomyocyte damage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and healing by RvE1, a specialized pro-resolving mediator (SPM) derived from the Omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a dietary nutrient that balances inflammation to restore homeostasis. RvE1 reduced leakage of H-FABP by up to 86%, which supports our hypothesis that inflammation as a mechanism of injury can be targeted for therapy. H-FABP as a blood biomarker was tested in 40 patients admitted to Boston Medical Center for respiratory distress, (20 patients with and 20 patients without COVID infection). High levels of H-FABP correlated with clinically diagnosed CVD, diabetes, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in both patient groups. The level of H-FABP indicates not only CVD damage but is a valuable measure for patients with increased inflammation disease comorbidities.

Trajectories of interleukin 10 and heart fatty acid-binding protein levels in traumatic brain injury patients with or without extracranial injuries.

Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) have gained interest as diagnostic biomarkers of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but factors affecting their blood levels in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI are largely unknown. To investigate the trajectories of IL-10 and H-FABP between TBI patients with and without extracranial injuries (ECI); to investigate if there is a correlation between the levels of IL-10 and H-FABP with the levels of inflammation/infection markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocytes; and to investigate if there is a correlation between the admission level of H-FABP with admission levels of cardiac injury markers, troponin (TnT), creatine kinase (CK), and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme mass (CK-MBm). The admission levels of IL-10, H-FABP, CRP, and leukocytes were measured within 24 h post-TBI and on days 1, 2, 3, and 7 after TBI. The admission levels of TnT, CK, and CK-MBm were measured within 24 h post-TBI. There was a significant difference in the concentration of H-FABP between TBI patients with and without ECI on day 0 (48.2 ± 20.5 and 12.4 ± 14.7 ng/ml, p = 0.02, respectively). There was no significant difference in the levels of IL-10 between these groups at any timepoints. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between IL-10 and CRP on days 2 (R = 0.43, p < 0.01) and 7 (R = 0.46, p = 0.03) after injury, and a negative correlation between H-FABP and CRP on day 0 (R = -0.45, p = 0.01). The levels of IL-10 or H-FABP did not correlate with leukocyte counts at any timepoint. The admission levels of H-FABP correlated with CK (R = 0.70, p < 0.001) and CK-MBm (R = 0.61, p < 0.001), but not with TnT. Inflammatory reactions during the early days after a TBI do not significantly confound the use of IL-10 and H-FABP as TBI biomarkers. Extracranial injuries and cardiac sources may influence the levels of H-FABP in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI.

Heart fatty acid-binding protein is associated with phosphorylated tau and longitudinal cognitive changes.

BackgroundPerturbation of lipid metabolism is associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Heart fatty acid-binding protein (HFABP) is an adipokine playing an important role in lipid metabolism regulation.Materials and methodsTwo datasets separately enrolled 303 and 197 participants. First, we examine the associations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HFABP levels with cognitive measures [including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating sum of boxes (CDRSB), and the cognitive section of Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale] and AD biomarkers (CSF amyloid beta and tau levels). Second, we examine the longitudinal associations of baseline CSF HFABP levels and the variability of HFABP with cognitive measures and AD biomarkers. Structural equation models explored the mediation effects of AD pathologies on cognition.ResultsWe found a significant relationship between CSF HFABP level and P-tau (dataset 1: β = 2.04, p < 0.001; dataset 2: β = 1.51, p < 0.001). We found significant associations of CSF HFABP with longitudinal cognitive measures (dataset 1: ADAS13, β = 0.09, p = 0.008; CDRSB, β = 0.10, p = 0.003; MMSE, β = −0.15, p < 0.001; dataset 2: ADAS13, β = 0.07, p = 0.004; CDRSB, β = 0.07, p = 0.005; MMSE, β = −0.09, p < 0.001) in longitudinal analysis. The variability of HFABP was associated with CSF P-tau (dataset 2: β = 3.62, p = 0.003). Structural equation modeling indicated that tau pathology mediated the relationship between HFABP and cognition.ConclusionOur findings demonstrated that HFABP was significantly associated with longitudinal cognitive changes, which might be partially mediated by tau pathology.

Potential of heart fatty-acid binding protein, neurofilament light, interleukin-10 and S100 calcium-binding protein B in the acute diagnostics and severity assessment of traumatic brain injury

BackgroundThere is substantial interest in blood biomarkers as fast and objective diagnostic tools for traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the acute setting.MethodsAdult patients (≥18) with TBI of any severity and...

Cerebrospinal fluid heart fatty acid‐binding protein as a predictive biomarker of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

Objective This study aims to investigate whether the heart fatty acid‐binding protein (HFABP) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was a potential predictive biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods We evaluated the associations of CSF HFABP levels with core biomarkers, cognition, and brain structure in a sample population ( n = 302) from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Multiple linear regression and mixed‐effects models were employed in the analyses. AD progression was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Results CSF HFABP was higher in patients with mild cognitive impairment and AD than the normal controls ( p &lt; 0.001) and was particularly higher in those with amyloid‐β (Aβ) pathologic features. CSF HFABP was associated with higher baseline CSF t‐tau ( p &lt; 0.001), CSF p‐tau ( p &lt; 0.001), and CSF t‐tau/Aβ42 and CSF p‐tau/Aβ42 ( p &lt; 0.01). Moreover, CSF HFABP was found to play predictive roles in hippocampal atrophy ( p &lt; 0.01), cognitive decline ( p &lt; 0.05), and the risk of AD ( p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion Our findings suggest that CSF HFABP can be a predictive biomarker of AD.

Heart-fatty acid binding protein in dogs with degenerative valvular disease and dilated cardiomyopathy

The study objective was to investigate heart-fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) concentrations in dogs with degenerative valvular disease (MVD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and its potential as a prognostic factor. Plasma HFABP, N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) and serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels were measured in 21 control dogs, 23 dogs with MVD and 13 dogs with DCM, with repeated sampling at 1 and 3 months after initial presentation. All dogs were followed up after 6 and 12 months to verify survival.Heart-fatty acid binding protein concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with MVD and DCM than controls at initial presentation, and after 1 month in dogs with MVD. For dogs with DCM, a significant reduction in HFABP levels over time was observed. Comparing ACVIM stages, highest HFABP concentrations were detected in ACVIM stage C dogs compared to stage B, with the lowest levels seen in controls, and a reduction over time in stage C dogs was present. Similarly, cTnI concentrations were higher in DCM and stage C in comparison to control dogs and reduced over time, while NTproBNP concentrations were only higher in diseased dogs at 1 month. Heart-fatty acid binding protein and cTnI levels at initial presentation and ACVIM disease stage were independent predictors of survival in a univariate analysis. The elevation of HFABP in dogs with MVD and DCM in comparison to controls, its association with disease severity, and its potential in predicting reduced survival, suggest that HFABP might be useful as marker for canine MVD and DCM.

HEART FATTY ACID BINDING PROTEIN SEBAGAI PETANDA BIOLOGIS DIAGNOSIS SINDROM KORONER AKUT

Heart-Fatty Acid-Binding Protein (H-FABP) is a membrane-bound protein that facilitates transport of fatty acids from the blood intothe heart. It is a low molecular weight cytoplasmic protein. Because of its small size and location, it is released rapidly into the bloodfollowing myocardial damage. The H-FABP levels rise as early as between 1−3 hours after the onset of Acute Coronary Syndrome, thepeak situation between 6−-8 hours, and returns to normal within 24 hours. The purpose of this study was to know the cut-off value ofHeart Fatty Acid Binding Protein with a sensitivity of at least 90% in patients with acute coronary syndrome in the Dr. Sardjito HospitalYogyakarta. The researchers undertook a cross sectional evaluation of 75 consecutive patients admitted with acute chest pain suggestiveof acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The H-FABP was measured by using immunoturbidimetry assay methods. The receiver operatingcharacteristic (ROC) analysis was calculated for the cut off point, sensitivity and specificity estimation. A total of 75 patients (59 in theACS group and 16 in the control group) were included in this study, and the majority of the ACS group (64 [76.2%]) were male patientswith AMI, 20 (26.7%) had an ST-elevation myocardial infarction and the rest (21 [28%]) had a non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction.The optimized cut-off obtained for h-FABP was 15 ng/mL, showing a sensitivity and specificity of the H-FABP assay for detecting ACSas 98.31 (95% CI 90 to 100) and 93.75% (95% CI 86 to 99), respectively. The areas under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC)curves to distinguish ACS from non-ACS were 0.983 (95% CI: 0.927– 0.999) for H-FABP. The optimized cut-off obtained for H-FABPwas 15 ng/mL, showing a 98.31% sensitivity and 93.75% specificity for detecting ACS in the Dr. Sardjito Hospital Yogyakarta.

USING EMERGING CEREBROSPINAL FLUID MARKERS TO CHARACTERIZE SUSPECTED NON-ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (SNAP) IN INDIVIDUALS WITH MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

The underlying pathophysiology of individuals with suspected non-Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology (SNAP; biomarker profile with neuronal injury without amyloid pathology) is to date still unclear. Our aim was to investigate the role of inflammation and lipid transport in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and SNAP using emerging markers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We selected 77 subjects with MCI and 15 cognitively normal (CN) subjects from the European EDAR study. We measured C3a (central to the classical, alternative and lectin complement pathways), the soluble C5b-9 terminal complement complex (TCC), amyloid binding proteins heart-fatty acid binding protein (HFABP), amyloid beta(Aβ)1–42, total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in CSF, and serum amyloid P (SAP, an acute response protein which activates complement). CN subjects had normal Aβ1–42 and tau. MCI subjects were classified as having low AD likelihood (n=18, normal Aβ1–42 and tau), SNAP (n=14, normal Aβ1–42 and abnormal tau), isolated amyloid pathology (IAP n=18; abnormal Aβ1–42 and normal tau), or high AD likelihood (n=27, abnormal Aβ1–42 and tau). We compared MCI subgroups using ANOVA and correlated emerging and core CSF Alzheimer's disease markers using Spearman (rho). CN individuals had higher levels of C3a than all MCI groups. Individuals with MCI-SNAP and MCI-high AD likelihood had higher levels of HFABP compared to those with MCI-low AD likelihood and MCI-IAP. Individuals with MCI-high AD likelihood had also higher levels of HFABP than CN individuals (see Table 1). In individuals with MCI, C3a correlated with p-tau (r=0.311, p=0.025), and HFABP correlated with Aβ1–42 (r=-0.242, p=0.034), t-tau (r=0.641, p<0.001) and p-tau (r=0.489, p<0.001). Our findings suggest that inflammation plays a similar role in neurodegeneration within all MCI subgroups. Moreover, HFABP levels are related to overall tau-related neurodegeneration in individuals with MCI.

H-FABP: A new biomarker to differentiate between CT-positive and CT-negative patients with mild traumatic brain injury

The majority of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) will have normal Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 15. Furthermore, only 5%–8% of them will be CT-positive for an mTBI. Having a useful biomarker would help clinicians evaluate a patient’s risk of developing intracranial lesions. The S100B protein is currently the most studied and promising biomarker for this purpose. Heart fatty-acid binding protein (H-FABP) has been highlighted in brain injury models and investigated as a biomarker for stroke and severe TBI, for example. Here, we evaluate the performances of S100B and H-FABP for differentiating between CT-positive and CT-negative patients. A total of 261 patients with a GCS score of 15 and at least one clinical symptom of mTBI were recruited at three different European sites. Blood samples from 172 of them were collected ≤ 6 h after trauma. Patients underwent a CT scan and were dichotomised into CT-positive and CT-negative groups for statistical analyses. H-FABP and S100B levels were measured using commercial kits, and their capacities to detect all CT-positive scans were evaluated, with sensitivity set to 100%. For patients recruited ≤ 6 h after trauma, the CT-positive group demonstrated significantly higher levels of both H-FABP (p = 0.004) and S100B (p = 0.003) than the CT-negative group. At 100% sensitivity, specificity reached 6% (95% CI 2.8–10.7) for S100B and 29% (95% CI 21.4–37.1) for H-FABP. Similar results were obtained when including all the patients recruited, i.e. hospital arrival within 24 h of trauma onset. H-FABP out-performed S100B and thus seems to be an interesting protein for detecting all CT-positive mTBI patients with a GCS score of 15 and at least one clinical symptom.

Effect of dobutamine stress echocardiography on serum heart fatty acid binding protein levels

Objective Heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) is a low-molecular-weight free protein that is abundant in the intracytoplasmic space of myocytes. Due to its unique features, serum HFABP levels may increase in myocardial ischaemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of myocardial ischaemia induced by dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) on serum HFABP levels.Methods and results A total of 30 consecutive patients with suspected myocardial ischaemia underwent DSE examination. HFABP levels were measured immediately before and 1 hour after DSE. HFABP rose significantly in individuals in the DSE positive group (1.66 ± 1.18 ng/ml vs 2.65 ± 1.34 ng/ml, P = 0.004), but remained unchanged in the DSE negative group (1.61 ± 0.77 ng/ml vs 1.85 ± 0.76 ng/ml, P = 0.066).Conclusion Serum HFABP levels increased significantly at 1 hour in the presence of ischaemia induced by DSE in patients with stable clinical coronary syndromes. No such increase was evident in the absence of ischaemia.

Novel biomarkers for pulmonary hypertension in children with ventricular septal defect

BackgroundChildren with congenital heart disease (CHD) who have relevant systemic-to-pulmonary shunts will develop pulmonary hypertension (PH) if untreated. With advances in medical research, new biomarkers representing different physiological processes continue to emerge, providing an ever clearer risk profile for patients with PH. AimTo evaluate the role of serum galectin-3 and heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) as early predictive biomarkers of PH in children with ventricular septal defect (VSD). MethodThe study included 50 children with VSD; 24 of them had PH and 25 age and sex matched healthy children serve as a control group. Serum levels of galectin-3, H-FABP and echocardiography evaluation were done for all cases and control subjects. We investigated the correlation between these markers and pulmonary pressure in children with VSD. ResultsSerum levels of galectin-3 and H-FABP were significantly higher in patients with PH. There was a significant positive correlation between both markers and pulmonary pressure. Galectin-3 and H-FABP have 76%, 60% sensitivity and 80%, 96% specificity respectively for prediction of PH in children with VSD. ConclusionGalectin-3 and H-FABP are promising cardiac biomarker for prediction and risk stratification of PH in children with VSD.

Neonatal phthalate ester exposure induced placental MTs, FATP1 and HFABP mRNA expression in two districts of southeast China

Plastic production releases phthalate esters (PAEs), which can alter the expression of metallothioneins (MTs), fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1) and heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP). A total of 187 mother-infant pairs were recruited, 127 from Chenghai (high exposed group) and 60 from Haojiang (low exposed group), to investigate the association between neonatal PAE exposure and mRNA expression of placental MTs, FATP1 and HFABP. Umbilical cord blood and placenta samples were collected for measuring five PAE concentrations and detecting mRNA levels of MTs, FATP1 and HFABP. Butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) were significantly higher in the high exposed group compared to the low exposed group. FATP1 and HFABP mRNA in the high exposed group were higher than that in the low exposed group while MT-1A was contrary. Both dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and DEHP were correlated with higher MT and MT-2A expression, while diethyl phthalate (DEP) was also positively correlated with MT-1A and FATP1 expression in female infants. DEHP exposure was negatively correlated with birth weight and gestational age in male infants. These results show that neonatal PAE exposure alters the mRNA expression of placental MTs and FATP1, which are related to fetal growth and development.

Molecular and biochemical evidence on the protective effects of embelin and carnosic acid in isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial injury in rats

AimsAcute myocardial infarction is a serious acute cardiac disorder and heart disease is still a major public health problem in adults. We investigated the effects of embelin (EMB) and carnosic acid (CA) in animals with isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury. Main methodsAdult male Wistar–Albino rats were divided into four groups: control, ISO, ISO with EMB, and ISO with CA. Before myocardial injury was induced, drugs were administered by oral gavage. Myocardial injury was induced by subcutaneous injection of ISO hydrochloride for 2 consecutive days. Serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI), ischemia modified albumin (IMA), heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) levels and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, tissue total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), total thiol (TT), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were measured. Tissue mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were analyzed. In addition, cardiac tissues were evaluated histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Key findingsAll tested compounds reduced myocardial damage, apoptosis, cTnI, IMA, HFABP, TOS, and TNF-α levels, NF-κB, p38 MAPK, and phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (pJNK 1/2) expressions. All tested compounds increased SOD activity, GSH-Px activity, TAS levels, TT levels, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK 1/2), and Nrf2 expressions. SignificanceOur results suggest that EMB and CA pretreatment could reduce myocardial injury via antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic effects.

Perioperative heart-type fatty acid binding protein is associated with acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a common complication after cardiac surgery and is associated with worse outcomes. Since heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is a myocardial protein that detects cardiac injury, we sought to determine if plasma H-FABP was associated with AKI in the TRIBE-AKI cohort; a multi-center cohort of 1219 patients at high risk for AKI who underwent cardiac surgery. The primary outcomes of interest were any AKI (Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) stage 1 or higher) and severe AKI (AKIN stage 2 or higher). The secondary outcome was long-term mortality after discharge. Patients who developed AKI had higher levels of H-FABP pre- and post-operatively than patients who did not have AKI. In analyses adjusted for known AKI risk factors, first post-operative log(H-FABP) was associated with severe AKI (adjusted OR 5.39 [95% CI, 2.87-10.11] per unit increase), while pre-operative log(H-FABP) was associated with any AKI (2.07 [1.48-2.89]) and mortality (1.67 [1.17-2.37]). These relationships persisted after adjustment for change in serum creatinine (for first postoperative log(H-FABP)) and biomarkers of cardiac and kidney injury, including brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac troponin-I, interleukin-18, liver fatty acid binding protein, kidney injury molecule-1, and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin. Thus, peri-operative plasma H-FABP levels may be used for risk-stratification of AKI and mortality following cardiac surgery.

Effects of dietary protein/carbohydrate ratio on fat deposition and gene expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ and heart fatty acid-binding protein of finishing pigs

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary protein/carbohydrate (CH2O) ratio on fat deposition and expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) genes in muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue in pigs. Twenty pigs (73.9±1.2kg BW) were used in a single factorial experiment, and allocated by BW and ultrasound backfat thickness to the two treatments: low protein/CH2O ratio (LP; 11.2% CP and 68.2% CH2O for phase I, and 10.1% CP and 69.3% CH2O for phase II) diet, or high protein/CH2O ratio (HP; 22.7% CP and 58.3% CH2O) diet. Pigs were housed individually in pens, and had ad libitum access to feed and water. After 80-d feeding, 6 pigs from each treatment were selected and slaughtered. Dietary protein/CH2O ratio had no effect on growth performance; however, the intramuscular fat (IMF) in longissimus muscle (LM) was increased (P<0.01) when the LP diet was fed. Correspondingly, Warner–Bratzler sheer force of LM in the LP pigs was lower (P<0.05) than the HP pigs. The LP increased mRNA levels of PPARγ (P<0.05) and H-FABP (P=0.09) in LM but not in subcutaneous fat, although the difference of H-FABP gene expression in LM was not statistically significant. The mRNA abundance of PPARγ in muscle correlated positively with IMF content (P<0.05). The results indicated that an increase in IMF but not subcutaneous fat in pigs fed the LP diet is related to tissue-specific activation of PPARγ and H-FABP mRNA expression, especially the PPARγ gene.

CSF Levels of Heart Fatty Acid Binding Protein are Altered During Early Phases of Alzheimer's Disease

Heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) has been proposed as a putative marker for dementia disorders. To evaluate the value of this protein as an early marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we analyzed HFABP level and the classical biomarkers amyloid-β (Aβ)1-42, total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) followed up for four years (n=41), AD (n=32), and subjects with other neurological diseases without dementia (OND, n=25). HFABP levels were higher in AD patients and in MCI converting to AD (MCI-AD) with respect to OND and to cognitively stable MCI patients (MCI-MCI). The receiver operator characteristics analysis for HFABP alone showed a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 81% for AD versus OND (area under the curve, AUC=0.83); sensitivity and specificity were 46% and 94%, respectively, when comparing MCI-MCI versus MCI-AD. CSF HFABP levels showed a strong positive correlation with both t-tau and p-tau. Interestingly, the ratio between HFABP and Aβ1-42 improved the performance in distinguishing AD from OND (sensitivity: 90%; specificity 82%, AUC=0.89), and gave the best accuracy in discriminating MCI-AD from MCI-MCI (sensitivity: 80%; specificity 100%, AUC=0.90). Survival analysis by means of Kaplan-Meier curve showed a significantly higher proportion of MCI patients converting to AD in the group with higher values of HFABP/Aβ1-42 ratio (cut-off=0.7). A significant correlation between HFABP/Aβ1-42 ratio and MMSE annual decrease rate was also documented (p<0.0001). HFABP /Aβ1-42 ratio might be a useful predictor of conversion in MCI patients.

Heart Fatty Acid Binding Protein (H-FABP) as a Diagnostic Biomarker in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Diagnosis of myocardial ischaemia at an early stage in the emergency department is often difficult. A recently proposed biomarker, heart fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) has been found to appear in the circulation superior to that of cardiac troponins in the early hours of acute coronary syndrome. We proposed to evaluate the levels of H-FABP and ascertain its utility as an early biomarker for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The present study was carried out in 485 subjects, of whom 297 were diagnosed as patients with ACS, 89 were diagnosed as non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) and 99 people served as healthy controls. H-FABP levels were measured in comparison with standard markers such as troponin I and CK-MB in all subjects enrolled in the study. The levels of H-FABP were significantly raised in patients when compared to controls and NCCP (P<0.001). Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve (ROC) analysis showed H-FABP to be a good discriminator between patients with ischaemic heart disease and patients without ischaemic heart disease. The area under the curve was found to be 0.965 with 95% CI (0.945-0.979). The cut-off value above which H-FABP can be considered positive was found to be 17.7ng/ml. H-FABP is a promising biomarker for the early detection of patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Gene Expression of Heart and Adipocyte Fatty Acid-binding Protein in Chickens by FQ-RT-PCR

This study was to detect the expression of heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) gene mRNA in different tissues of Rugao and Luyuan chickens at 56 d and 120 d by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR). The primers were designed according to the sequences of H-FABP, A-FABP and GAPDH genes in Gallus gallus, which were used as target genes and internal reference gene, respectively. The levels of H-FABP and A-FABP gene expression were detected by SYBR Green I FQ-RT-PCR. The relative H-FABP and A-FABP gene mRNA expression level was calculated with 2 -ΔCt . Melting curve analysis showed a single peak of three genes. Intramuscular fat (IMF) content in breast muscle and leg muscle of the two chicken breeds at 120 d was higher than at 56 d. IMF content in breast muscle and leg muscle at 56 d and 120 d in Luyuan was significantly higher than in Rugao, however, abdominal fat of Luyuan was significantly lower than that of Rugao. The relative H-FABP gene mRNA expression level in cardiac muscle was the highest in both chicken breeds. The relative H-FABP and A-FABP gene expression of different tissues in Luyuan was higher than in Rugao. H-FABP gene mRNA expression had a negative effect on IMF of leg and breast muscles, and was significantly negatively correlated with IMF content. The relative A-FABP gene mRNA level in abdominal fat was higher than in liver. The A-FABP gene mRNA was not expressed in leg, breast and cardiac muscles. A-FABP gene mRNA expression level was significantly positively correlated with abdominal fat and had a significant effect on abdominal fat but not IMF content.

Ischemia-modified Albumin and Heart Fatty Acid–binding Protein: Could Early Ischemic Cardiac Biomarkers Be Used in Acute Stroke Management?

The detection of biomarkers such as ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and heart fatty acid-binding protein (HFABP) is used in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. As these biomarkers are not organ specific, we tested them in the neurovascular field. A total of 41 patients with acute stroke were enrolled (31 ischemic strokes and 10 intracerebral hemorrhages). IMA and HFABP levels were measured in serum samples collected within 4.5 hours of stroke onset. Clinical, imaging, and outcome data were recorded. No difference in baseline IMA or HFABP was found between patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. There was no correlation among biomarker levels at admission, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, or stroke volume. Neither of the biomarkers could predict short-term prognosis. IMA and HFABP do not appear to be relevant in acute stroke management.

Cardiac dysfunction and cell damage across clinical stages of severity in growth-restricted fetuses

The purpose of this study was to assess cardiac function and cell damage in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) fetuses across clinical Doppler stages of deterioration. One hundred twenty appropriate-for-gestational-age and 81 IUGR fetuses were classified in stages 1/2/3 according umbilical artery present/absent/reversed end-diastolic blood flow, respectively. Cardiac function was assessed by modified-myocardial performance index, early-to-late diastolic filling ratios, cardiac output, and cord blood B-type natriuretic peptide; myocardial cell damage was assessed by heart fatty acid-binding protein, troponin-I, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Modified-myocardial performance index, blood B-type natriuretic peptide, and early-to-late diastolic filling ratios were increased in a stage-dependent manner in IUGR fetuses, compared with appropriate-for-gestational-age fetuses. Heart fatty acid-binding protein levels were higher in IUGR fetuses at stage 3, compared with control fetuses. Cardiac output, troponin-I, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein did not increase in IUGR fetuses at any stage. IUGR fetuses showed signs of cardiac dysfunction from early stages. Cardiac dysfunction deteriorates further with the progression of fetal compromise, together with the appearance of biochemical signs of cell damage.