JVS - Vascular Science (Jan 2020)

Fatty acid binding protein 3 is associated with peripheral arterial disease

  • Muzammil H. Syed, BSc,
  • Abdelrahman Zamzam, BPharm, MSc,
  • Hamzah Khan, BSc,
  • Krishna Singh, PhD,
  • Thomas L. Forbes, MD, FRCSC,
  • Ori Rotstein, MD, MSc,
  • Rawand Abdin, MD,
  • John Eikelboom, MBBS, MSc, FRCPC,
  • Mohammad Qadura, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 1
pp. 168 – 175

Abstract

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Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects more than 150 million people worldwide and is associated with high rates of lower extremity amputation, myocardial infarction, stroke and death. Fatty acid binding protein 3 (FABP3) is released into circulation in patients with skeletal muscle injury. In this pilot study, we investigated a possible association between PAD and blood levels of FABP3. Methods: Blood samples were collected from patients with clinical symptoms and diagnostic findings indicative of PAD (PAD group; ankle-brachial index [ABI] 0.9; n = 75) presenting to vascular surgery ambulatory clinics at St. Michael's Hospital. Plasma samples were analyzed by protein multiplex to quantify FABP3 levels. Results: PAD patients were found to have higher blood levels of FABP3 compared to patients without PAD (mean 3.90 ± 1.69 vs 2.03 ± 0.78; P < .001). A subgroup analysis demonstrated that the FABP3 levels were increased by almost two-fold in patients with PAD, independent of coronary artery disease (P < .001) or diabetes mellitus status (P < .001). Moreover, a significant negative correlation between FABP3 and the ABI was observed in PAD and patients without PAD matched groups (r = –0.51; P = .001). Last, immunohistochemistry demonstrated elevated expressions of FABP3 within skeletal muscle obtained from patients with the most severe form of PAD, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, when compared with patients without PAD. Conclusions: Patients with PAD have elevated plasma levels of FABP3. An increasing severity of PAD is associated with higher FABP3 levels. : Clinical Relevance: There is a pressing need for a simple, readily accessible, blood-based biomarker for PAD. In this study, we found elevated levels of FABP3 in patients with PAD. This increase in FABP3 was irrespective of history of coronary artery disease or diabetes. Furthermore, our data suggest that an increasing severity of PAD is associated with higher FABP3 levels. Subsequently, FABP3 may be a potential diagnostic biomarker for PAD. However, further studies are needed to confirm the capability of FABP3 to serve as a valid and reliable biomarker for PAD.

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