Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) are key proteins in lipid transport, and the isoforms are segregated according to their tissue origins. Several isoforms, such as adipose-FABP and epidermal-FABP, have been shown to participate in multiple pathologic processes due to their ubiquitous expression. Intestinal fatty acid binding protein, also termed FABP2 or I-FABP, is specifically expressed in the small intestine. FABP2 can traffic lipids from the intestinal lumen to enterocytes and bind superfluous fatty acids to maintain a steady pool of fatty acids in the epithelium. As a lipid chaperone, FABP2 can also carry lipophilic drugs to facilitate targeted transport. When the integrity of the intestinal epithelium is disrupted, FABP2 is released into the circulation. Thus, it can potentially serve as a clinical biomarker. In this review, we discuss the pivotal role of FABP2 in intestinal lipid metabolism. We also summarize the molecular interactions that have been reported to date, highlighting the clinical prospects of FABP2 research.

脂肪酸结合蛋白 (FABP) 是脂质转运中的关键蛋白，其同工型根据其组织来源进行分离。几种同种型，例如脂肪-FABP 和表皮-FABP，由于它们的普遍表达，已被证明参与多种病理过程。肠脂肪酸结合蛋白，也称为 FABP2 或 I-FABP，在小肠中特异性表达。FABP2 可以将脂质从肠腔运输到肠细胞并结合多余的脂肪酸以维持上皮细胞中稳定的脂肪酸库。作为脂质伴侣，FABP2还可以携带亲脂性药物以促进靶向转运。当肠上皮的完整性被破坏时，FABP2 被释放到循环中。因此，它可以潜在地用作临床生物标志物。在本次审查中，我们讨论了 FABP2 在肠道脂质代谢中的关键作用。我们还总结了迄今为止报告的分子相互作用，突出了 FABP2 研究的临床前景。