{rfName}
Un

Indexed in

License and use

Icono OpenAccess

Citations

76

Altmetrics

Grant support

This work was supported by funds from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain (PI18/00515); Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER); and CIBER in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CB07/08/0028).

Analysis of institutional authors

Moreno-Vedia, JAuthorGirona, JAuthorIbarretxe, DAuthorMasana, LCorresponding AuthorRodriguez-Calvo, RCorresponding Author

Share

February 7, 2022
Publications
>
Article
Sí

Unveiling the Role of the Fatty Acid Binding Protein 4 in the Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease

Publicated to:Biomedicines. 10 (1): 197- - 2022-01-01 10(1), DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010197

Authors: Moreno-Vedia, Juan; Girona, Josefa; Ibarretxe, Daiana; Masana, Lluis; Rodriguez-Calvo, Ricardo

Affiliations

Spanish Biomed Res Ctr Diabet & Associated Metab, Madrid 28029, Spain - Author
Univ Rovira & Virgili, St Joan Univ Hosp, Inst Invest Sanitaria Pere Virgili IISPV, Res Unit Lipids & Atherosclerosis,Vasc Med & Meta, Reus 43204, Spain - Author

Abstract

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), the main cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, is a progressive disease ranging from fatty liver to steatohepatitis (metabolic-associated steatohepatitis; MASH). Nevertheless, it remains underdiagnosed due to the lack of effective non-invasive methods for its diagnosis and staging. Although MAFLD has been found in lean individuals, it is closely associated with obesity-related conditions. Adipose tissue is the main source of liver triglycerides and adipocytes act as endocrine organs releasing a large number of adipokines and pro-inflammatory mediators involved in MAFLD progression into bloodstream. Among the adipocyte-derived molecules, fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) has been recently associated with fatty liver and additional features of advanced stages of MAFLD. Additionally, emerging data from preclinical studies propose FABP4 as a causal actor involved in the disease progression, rather than a mere biomarker for the disease. Therefore, the FABP4 regulation could be considered as a potential therapeutic strategy to MAFLD. Here, we review the current knowledge of FABP4 in MAFLD, as well as its potential role as a therapeutic target for this disease.

Keywords

Activated receptor-gammaAdipokinesAdipose-tissueDe-novo lipogenesisEndoplasmic-reticulum stressFabp4Gene-expressionHormone-sensitive lipaseInduced hepatic steatosisInsulin-resistanceLiver steatosisMafldMashNonalcoholic steatohepatitisRecent insights

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Biomedicines due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2022, it was in position 68/278, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Pharmacology & Pharmacy.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 2.14. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 1.91 (source consulted: FECYT Feb 2024)
  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 6.55 (source consulted: Dimensions Jul 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-07-26, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 21
  • Scopus: 25
  • Europe PMC: 11
  • Google Scholar: 18

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-26:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 46 (PlumX).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
  • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9244525

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Moreno Vedia, Juan) and Last Author (Rodríguez Calvo, Ricardo).

the authors responsible for correspondence tasks have been Masana Marín, Luis and Rodríguez Calvo, Ricardo.