In Search of a Biomarker for Vasculopathy Associated with Metabolic Syndrome

Central obesity is associated with a group of metabolic and cardiovascular alterations known as metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS affects an estimated 20-25% of the global population. The clinical diagnosis of MetS is made using different methodologies, depending on the parameter being measured; however, no established molecule or biomarker unifies these alterations and allows MetS to be identified from its inception. Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) have been studied as molecules that accompany MetS abnormalities, from their role in intracellular lipid transport to their release into the circulation under pathological conditions and their elevation in various biofluids, which may be indicative of MetS. In this chapter, we will focus on adipocyte, epidermal, and intestinal FABPs as metabolic biomarkers of the early stages of MetS since they are associated with alterations such as inflammation of the tissues containing them, which allows them to be identified even in the early stages of the disease. The ability to have a molecule that combines all the parameters of MetS remains and important goal, given the existence of possible candidates. This would allow the early identification of MetS, which would represent a new approach to its clinical diagnosis.