Research Article

FABP4 as a biomarker for knee osteoarthritis

Chaofan Zhang^‡

Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, PR China

Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, PR China

^‡Authors contributed equally

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Teng Li^‡

Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, PR China

^‡Authors contributed equally

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Kwong Yuen Chiu

Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, PR China

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Chunyi Wen

Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR 999077, PR China

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Aimin Xu

State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, PR China

Department of Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, PR China

Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, PR China

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Chun Hoi Yan

*Author for correspondence: Tel.: +852 22554257; Fax: +852 28174392;

E-mail Address: yanchunhoi@gmail.com

Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, PR China

Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Innovative Technology in Orthopaedic Trauma, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518000, PR China

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Published Online:2 Feb 2018https://doi.org/10.2217/bmm-2017-0207

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Abstract

Aim: To explore the role of an adipokine-termed fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) in osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Patients with primary knee OA and non-OA controls were included. Paired tissues including plasma, synovial fluid (SF), subcutaneous fat and infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) were harvested during surgery. FABP4 concentration was determined by ELISA. Results: Plasma FABP4 increased significantly with OA stage (n = 263). OA patients (n = 38) had significantly higher plasma and SF FABP4 than non-OA patients (n = 29). FABP4 level of IPFP was positively correlated with SF FABP4. Conclusion: OA patients had significantly high systemic and local FABP4, and IPFP may be the main source of FABP4 in synovial cavity. FABP4 may be a promising biomarker for OA.

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Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 12, No. 2

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History

Received 24 June 2017

Accepted 22 September 2017

Published online 2 February 2018

Published in print February 2018

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Acknowledgements

The authors like to sincerely thank all the patients who participated in the study.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by Shenzhen Science and Technology Funding (JCYJ20150331142757396). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

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