Serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, retinol-binding protein 4, and adiponectin concentrations in relation to the development of the metabolic syndrome in Korean boys: a 3-y prospective cohort study

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 2011, Vol.93 (1), p.19-26
• Main Authors: Choi, Kyung M, Yannakoulia, Mary, Park, Min S, Cho, Geum J, Kim, Jung H, Lee, Seung H, Hwang, Taik G, Yang, Sei J, Kim, Tai N, Yoo, Hye J, Baik, Sai H, Kim, Seon M, Mantzoros, Christos S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adipocytes; adiponectin; Adiponectin - blood; Adiponectin - physiology; Asian people; Binding sites; Biological and medical sciences; biomarkers; blood chemistry; blood serum; Boys; Child; Cohort Studies; duration; fatty acid-binding proteins; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins - blood; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins - physiology; Fatty acids; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Insulin Resistance; Korea; Koreans; Logistic Models; Male; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - blood; Metabolic Syndrome - etiology; obesity; overweight; Pediatrics; physical activity; Prospective Studies; Proteins; puberty; quantitative analysis; retinol-binding protein; Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma - analysis; Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma - physiology; school children; sleep; Studies; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.29667

BACKGROUND: Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), and adiponectin have been associated with insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome in adults. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the association of A-FABP, RBP4, and adiponectin with the metabolic syndrome in Korean boys. DESIGN: In this prospective cohort study, 159 boys participated in a school-based health examination and were followed up after 3 y. The metabolic syndrome in children was defined by using the pediatric adaptation of the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria. RESULTS: Compared with normal-weight participants, overweight children had significantly higher A-FABP (23.6 ± 8.2 compared with 12.8 ± 5.1 μg/L, P < 0.001) and RBP4 (69.3 ± 17.1 compared with 59.7 ± 15.3 μg/mL, P = 0.001) concentrations and significantly lower adiponectin concentrations (11.5 ± 5.4 compared with 18.1 ± 8.4 μg/mL, P < 0.001). Baseline A-FABP concentrations were significantly higher in children who developed the metabolic syndrome than in those who did not, whereas adiponectin concentrations were significantly lower. Baseline RBP4 concentrations were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only A-FABP was an independent predictor of the development of the metabolic syndrome after adjustment for Tanner stage, insulin resistance, body mass index, sleep duration, and physical activity (odds ratio: 17.3; 95% CI: 1.25, 239.76; highest compared with lowest tertile), whereas the significant association between adiponectin and the metabolic syndrome observed by using bivariate analysis reflects, in part, an underlying association with obesity. CONCLUSION: A-FABP predicts the development of the metabolic syndrome independently of pubertal status, adiposity, and insulin resistance in Korean boys.