ReviewFrontiers in physiology2021
Biological Functions of RBP4 and Its Relevance for Human Diseases.
Review in Frontiers in physiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06545110 (Retinol Binding Protein 4 Expression and Its Genetic Variants in Severe Alopecia Areata Treated With Barcitinib.), which is not on this map. Cited by 117 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Retinol Binding Protein 4 Expression and Its Genetic Variants in Severe Alopecia Areata Treated With Barcitinib.
Who cites it
117 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 174 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Impact of Physical Training on Circulating Retinol-Binding Protein 4: A Systematic Review.Physiological research · 2026Pooled it
- Diagnostic value of retinol-binding protein 4 in diabetic nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Pooled it
- Comparative proteomic characterization of seminal plasma and sperm proteins associated with reproductive function in the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus).Veterinary world · 2026Article
- Opposing roles for lipocalins and a CD36 family scavenger receptor in apical extracellular matrix-dependent protection of narrow tube integrity.Development (Cambridge, England) · 2026Article
- Review
- Intracellular Retinoid-Binding Proteins (CRBP, CRALBP, CRABP) as Emerging Drug Targets in Retinal Disease.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Single-sequence based gFET-aptasensors for the discrimination of apo- and holo-RBP4 in human serum.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Proteomics in myelodysplastic syndromes: towards novel prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers.Biochemia medica · 2026Review
- Inflammation Does Not Mediate Relationships between BMI/BMI-for-AgeCurrent developments in nutrition · 2026Article
- RBP4-a risk factor in lipid metabolism-serves as an early diagnostic and prognostic marker of knee osteoarthritis progression.Arthritis research & therapy · 2026Article
- Article
- The Liver-Eye Axis of Dietary Vitamin A Homeostasis: A Review of Mechanisms, Receptors, and Visual Outcomes.Nutrients · 2026Review
- RBP4 in Ageing.Biomedicines · 2026Review
- RBP4 interferes with tongue squamous cell carcinoma progression by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and promoting macrophage M1-type polarization.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Retinol-binding protein 4 in cardiovascular diseases: mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Review
- Beyond a gatekeeper: the non-classical signaling role of STRA6 in driving endothelial senescence and atherosclerosis.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Senescent endothelial cells: key commanders of the cellular communication network within atherosclerotic plaques.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- Neuroinflammatory and transcriptional dynamics during SARS-CoV-2 infection in KRT18-hACE2 mouse brain.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Asiatic acid fromFrontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Sequential lymphotoxin-β receptor and retinoic acid receptor signals regulate cDC2 fate.Nature immunology · 2025Article
57 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a member of the lipocalin family and the major transport protein of the hydrophobic molecule retinol, also known as vitamin A, in the circulation. Expression of RBP4 is highest in the liver, where most of the body's vitamin A reserves are stored as retinyl esters. For the mobilization of vitamin A from the liver, retinyl esters are hydrolyzed to retinol, which then binds to RBP4 in the hepatocyte. After associating with transthyretin (TTR), the retinol/RBP4/TTR complex is released into the bloodstream and delivers retinol to tissues via binding to specific membrane receptors. So far, two distinct RBP4 receptors have been identified that mediate the uptake of retinol across the cell membrane and, under specific conditions, bi-directional retinol transport. Although most of RBP4's actions depend on its role in retinoid homeostasis, functions independent of retinol transport have been described. In this review, we summarize and discuss the recent findings on the structure, regulation, and functions of RBP4 and lay out the biological relevance of this lipocalin for human diseases.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.