Fatty acid-binding protein 3 (FABP3)

Fatty acid-binding protein 3 (FABP3), also known as heart-type fatty acid-binding protein, is a small (14–15 kDa) cytosolic lipid-binding protein primarily expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle[2][3][4][5][6]. It belongs to a larger family of fatty acid-binding proteins that facilitate the uptake, transport, and metabolism of long-chain fatty acids and their derivatives within cells. FABP3 is highly abundant in tissues with intense fatty acid metabolism, and deficiency of FABP3 disrupts normal cardiac muscle function and energy metabolism[3][4][6]. Following cardiac or skeletal muscle injury, FABP3 is rapidly released into the circulation, making it a sensitive early biomarker for acute myocardial infarction and other conditions involving muscle damage[3][4][5]. It is also implicated in the progression of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and altered expression or release may serve as a prognostic indicator in these settings[3][4][5]. No direct pharmacological agents currently target FABP3, though it is of interest as a potential biomarker and future modulatory target in diseases involving abnormal fatty acid metabolism.

Other names

Heart-type fatty acid-binding proteinH-FABPHeart fatty acid-binding protein

Not applicable for approved drugs (FABP3 is not targeted by approved drugs; mechanism relates to binding and chaperoning fatty acids within tissues)[3][4][5]. If future agents are designed to inhibit or modulate FABP3, mechanisms could involve alteration of fatty acid transport or metabolism.