Fatty acid binding protein 7, brain (FABP7; also brain lipid binding protein, BLBP), is a human
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
Function
The protein encoded by this gene is a brain fatty acid binding protein.
Fatty acid binding protein
The fatty-acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are a family of transport proteins for fatty acids and other lipophilic substances such as eicosanoids and retinoids. These proteins are thought to facilitate the transfer of fatty acids between extra- and ...
s (FABPs) are a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of small, highly conserved,
cytoplasm
In cell biology, the cytoplasm is all of the material within a eukaryotic cell, enclosed by the cell membrane, except for the cell nucleus. The material inside the nucleus and contained within the nuclear membrane is termed the nucleoplasm. The ...
ic proteins that bind long-chain fatty acids and other hydrophobic ligands. FABPs are thought to play roles in
fatty acid
In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, fr ...
uptake, transport, and metabolism.
FABP7 is expressed, during development, in
radial glia
Radial glial cells, or radial glial progenitor cells (RGPs), are bipolar-shaped progenitor cells that are responsible for producing all of the neurons in the cerebral cortex. RGPs also produce certain lineages of glia, including astrocytes and ol ...
by the activation of
Notch receptors.
Reelin
Reelin, encoded by the ''RELN'' gene, is a large secreted extracellular matrix glycoprotein that helps regulate processes of neuronal migration and positioning in the developing brain by controlling cell–cell interactions. Besides this import ...
was shown to induce FABP7 expression in neural
progenitor cell
A progenitor cell is a Cell (biology), biological cell that can Cellular differentiation, differentiate into a specific cell type. Stem cells and progenitor cells have this ability in common. However, stem cells are less specified than progenitor ...
s via
Notch-1
Neurogenic locus notch homolog protein 1 (Notch 1) is a protein encoded in humans by the ''NOTCH1'' gene. Notch 1 is a single-pass transmembrane receptor.
Function
This gene encodes a member of the Notch family. Members of this Type 1 transme ...
activation.
According to one study, FABP7 binds
DHA DHA, Dha and dha may refer to:
Chemicals
* Docosahexaenoic acid, a 22:6 omega-3 fatty acid
* Dehydroandrosterone, an endogenous androgenic steroid
* Dehydroascorbic acid, an oxidized form of ascorbic acid
* Dehydroacetic acid, a pyrone derivati ...
with the highest
affinity
Affinity may refer to:
Commerce, finance and law
* Affinity (law), kinship by marriage
* Affinity analysis, a market research and business management technique
* Affinity Credit Union, a Saskatchewan-based credit union
* Affinity Equity Par ...
among all of the FABPs.
Role in pathology
FABP7 maps onto human chromosome 6q22.31, a schizophrenia
linkage
Linkage may refer to:
* ''Linkage'' (album), by J-pop singer Mami Kawada, released in 2010
*Linkage (graph theory), the maximum min-degree of any of its subgraphs
*Linkage (horse), an American Thoroughbred racehorse
* Linkage (hierarchical cluster ...
region corroborated by a meta-analysis.
As of 2008, two studies have been conducted into FABP7 as a possible risk gene for
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...
,
[Gene Overview of All Published Schizophrenia-Association Studies for FABP7](_blank)
- SZGene database at Schizophrenia Research Forum website. with one, that tested for only one SNP, showing negative
and another, with seven SNPs,
a positive result. The effect of the gene in the latter study was stronger in males. This study also linked FABP7 variation to weak
prepulse inhibition
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a neurological phenomenon in which a weaker prestimulus (prepulse) inhibits the reaction of an organism to a subsequent strong reflex-eliciting stimulus (pulse), often using the startle reflex. The stimuli are usually ...
in mice; deficit in PPI is an
endophenotypic trait observed in schizophrenia patients and their relatives.
References
Further reading
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External links
Schizophrenia, Startled Response & Fabp7: Future Dietary Changes for At-Risk Mothers?Schizophrenia Daily News Blog, 2007-11-07
* - a synopsis for the general audience.
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{{Carrier proteins
Biology of bipolar disorder