Lipocalin-2, A-FABP and inflammatory markers in relation to flow-mediated vasodilatation in patients with essential hypertension

Abstract

Lipocalin families including lipocalin-2 and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) were recently identified as novel adipokines to be associated with the cardiovascular risk variables of the metabolic syndrome. We evaluated the lipocalin-2 and A-FABP levels in 62 patients with essential hypertension (EHT) and 16 age-, gender-and body mass index-matched normotensive healthy subjects (NT). Furthermore, we evaluated the correlation between lipocalin-2, A-FABP levels, inflammatory markers including hsCRP and IL-10, and flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD). In EHT, circulating lipocalin-2 levels were significantly higher than in NT (85.0 +/- 37.6 ng/ml versus 43.8 +/- 13.1 ng/ml, p < 0.001). However, A-FABP levels were not different between patients with EHT and NT. Serum lipocalin-2 levels were positively associated with SBP (r = 0.54, p < 0.001), DBP (r = 0.34, p = 0.003) and fasting glucose levels (r = 0.25, p = 0.032), On the other hand, circulating A-FABP levels were significantly associated with variables such as BMI, fasting insulin, insulin resistance index and hsCRP. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that mean arterial pressure was associated with fasting glucose, lipocalin-2 levels, age, BMI and hsCRP levels (R-2 = 0.456). However, circulating lipocalin-2 levels were not associated with FMD. In conclusion, lipocalin-2 levels were significantly higher in patients with EHT, and were independently associated with mean arterial pressure.