Serum levels of the adipokine adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein are increased in preeclampsia

BACKGROUND Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious complication of pregnancy which is associated with an increased future metabolic and cardiovascular risk for both mother and newborn. Recently, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (AFABP) was introduced as a novel adipokine, serum levels of which independently correlate with the development of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in humans. In this study, we investigated serum concentrations of the adipokine AFABP in patients with PE as compared to healthy controls of similar gestational age. METHODS AFABP serum levels were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in control (n = 20) and PE (n = 16) patients. Furthermore, AFABP was correlated to clinical and biochemical measures of renal function, glucose, and Ill metabolism, as well as inflammation. RESULTS Mean maternal AFABP concentrations were significantly elevated in PE (24.5 +/- 9.7 mu g/l) as compared to controls (14.8 +/- 7.1 mu g/l). Furthermore, AFABP serum levels correlated positively with age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum creatinine, free fatty acids (FFAs), leptin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). In multivariate analyses, BMI and serum creatinine remained independently associated with AFABP concentrations and explained 58% of the variation in AFABP levels. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that maternal AFABP serum concentrations are significantly increased in PE. Furthermore, BMI and serum creatinine are independent predictors of circulating AFABP levels.