Plasma levels of the soluble fraction of tumor necrosis factor receptors 1and 2 are independent determinants of plasma cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in healthy subjects
Jm. Fernandez-real et al., Plasma levels of the soluble fraction of tumor necrosis factor receptors 1and 2 are independent determinants of plasma cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in healthy subjects, ATHEROSCLER, 146(2), 1999, pp. 321-327
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems","Cardiovascular & Hematology Research
In the last few years, it has been demonstrated that tumor necrosis alpha (
TNF-alpha) has important effects on whole-body lipid metabolism. TNF-alpha
administration has been found to produce an increase in serum cholesterol l
evels and increased hepatic hydro-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) re
ductase activity in mice. The purpose of this study was to test whether pla
sma levels of the soluble forms of the TNF-alpha receptors 1 and 2 (sTNFR1,
sTNFR3) are associated with lipid abnormalities. A total of 36 healthy sub
jects (19 males, mean age 36.2 +/- 1.9, and 17 females, mean age 34.9 +/- 1
.4) were studied. Plasma sTNFR1 levels correlated with total (r = 0.43, P =
0.01) and LDL-cholesterol (r = 0.52, P = 0.002) levels, but not with total
or HDL2-HDL3 subfractions of HDL-cholesterol, total plasma triglycerides,
VLDL-cholesterol or VLDL-triglycerides (all r<0.11, P = NS). Plasma sTNFR3
levels also correlated with total (r = 0.44, P = 0.009) and LDL-cholesterol
(r = 0.57, P < 0.0001) levels, and negatively with HDL2-cholesterol (r = -
0.37, P = 0.029). A stepwise multiple linear regression was constructed to
predict total cholesterol levels, with BMI, sex, age, sTNFR1 or sTNFR2 as
independent variables. Both sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 were significantly associated
with total cholesterol (P = 0.031 and 0.009), contributing to 26 and 19%,
respectively, of its variance. In another model ill which LDL-cholesterol w
as substituted for total cholesterol, sTNFR1 or sTNFR2 (P = 0.0084 and 0.00
05) were significantly associated with LDL-cholesterol, contributing to 39
and 32% of its variance. In summary, plasma levels of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 cir
culate in proportion to total and LDL-cholesterol in healthy subjects. (C)
1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.