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Decreased expression of Intestinal I- and L-FABP levels in rare human genetic lipid malabsorption syndromes

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Abstract

We investigated, for the first time, the expression of I- and L-FABP in two very rare hereditary lipid malabsorption syndromes as compared with normal subjects. Abetalipoproteinemia (ABL) and Anderson’s disease (AD) are characterized by an inability to export alimentary lipids as chylomicrons that result in fat loading of enterocytes. Duodeno-jejunal biopsies were obtained from 14 fasted normal subjects, and from four patients with ABL and from six with AD. Intestinal FABP expression was investigated by immuno-histochemistry, western blot, ELISA and Northern blot analysis. In contrast to normal subjects, the cellular immunostaining for both FABPs was clearly decreased in patients, as the enterocytes became fat-laden. In patients with ABL, the intestinal contents of I- (60.7 ± 13.38 ng/mg protein) and L-FABP (750.3 ± 121.3 ng/mg protein) are significantly reduced (50 and 35%, P < 0.05, respectively) as compared to normal subjects (I-135.3 ± 11.1 ng, L-1211 ± 110 ng/mg protein). In AD, the patients also exhibited decreased expression (50%, P < 0.05; I-59 ± 11.88 ng, L-618.2 ± 104.6 ng/mg protein). Decreased FABP expression was not associated with decreased mRNA levels. The results suggest that enterocytes might regulate intracellular FABP content in response to intracellular fatty acids, which we speculate may act as lipid sensors to prevent their intracellular transport.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported financially by the Institute National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) and by funds from GlaxoSmithKline (USA) and Conseil Régional de Bourgogne (France). We also thank Pr. A Lachaux (Département de Pédiatrie, Hôpital E. Herriot, Lyon, France), Pr. J. Schmitz (Département de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, 75015 Paris), Pr. JP Cézard (Service de Gastroentérologie et Nutrition Pédiatrique, Hôpital R. Debré, Paris), Dr. P. Crenn and Dr. T. Aparicio (Service de Gastroentérologie, Hôpital Bichat-C. Bernard, 75018 Paris), Dr. F. Walker (Service d’Anatomopathologie Hôpital Bichat-C. Bernard, 75018 Paris), and D. Cazal (Service d’Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Beaujon, 92118 Clichy) for referring to us their patients and O Thibaudeau for excellent technical assistance (IFR02, Intitut C Bernard-Physiologie et Pathologie, Faculté de Médecine X. Bichat, 75018 Paris). The authors would like to thank Mrs. T. Lehy and Pr A. Raisonnier for very helpful discussions.

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Correspondence to M. E. Samson-Bouma.

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Guilmeau, S., Niot, I., Laigneau, J.P. et al. Decreased expression of Intestinal I- and L-FABP levels in rare human genetic lipid malabsorption syndromes. Histochem Cell Biol 128, 115–123 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-007-0302-x

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