Relationships between Circulating Biomarkers and Body Composition Parameters in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Community-Based Study.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disease involving multiple physiological, biochemical, and metabolic abnormalities. The search for reliable biomarkers may help to better elucidate its pathogenesis and develop new preventive and therapeutic strategies. In the present population-based study, we looked for biomarkers of MetS among obesity- and inflammation-related circulating factors and body composition parameters in 1079 individuals (with age range between 18 and 80) belonging to an ethnically homogeneous population. Plasma levels of soluble markers were measured by using ELISA. Body composition parameters were assessed using bioimpedance analysis (BIA). Statistical analysis, including mixed-effects regression, with MetS as a dependent variable, revealed that the most significant independent variables were mainly adipose tissue-related phenotypes, including fat mass/weight (FM/WT) [OR (95% CI)], 2.77 (2.01-3.81); leptin/adiponectin ratio (L/A ratio), 1.50 (1.23-1.83); growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) levels, 1.32 (1.08-1.62); inflammatory markers, specifically monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR), 2.53 (2.00-3.15), and a few others. Additive Bayesian network modeling suggests that age, sex, MHR, and FM/WT are directly associated with MetS and probably affect its manifestation. Additionally, MetS may be causing the GDF-15 and L/A ratio. Our novel findings suggest the existence of complex, age-related, and possibly hierarchical relationships between MetS and factors associated with obesity.

Glycoprotein Acetyls Is a Novel Biomarker Predicting Cardiovascular Complications in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and early onset atherosclerosis is well depicted, each with an important inflammatory component. Glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), a novel biomarker of inflammation, may play a role in the manifestation of these two inflammatory conditions. The present study examined a potential mediating role of GlycA within the RA-atherosclerosis relationship to determine whether it accounts for the excess risk of cardiovascular disease over that posed by lipid risk factors. The UK Biobank dataset was acquired to establish associations among RA, atherosclerosis, GlycA, and major lipid factors: total cholesterol (TC), high- and low-density lipoprotein (HDL, LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides (TGs). Genome-wide association study summary statistics were collected from various resources to perform genetic analyses. Causality among variables was tested using Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis. Genes of interest were identified using colocalization analysis and gene enrichment analysis. MR results appeared to indicate that the genetic relationship between GlycA and RA and also between RA and atherosclerosis was explained by horizontal pleiotropy (p-value = 0.001 and <0.001, respectively), while GlycA may causally predict atherosclerosis (p-value = 0.017). Colocalization analysis revealed several functionally relevant genes shared between GlycA and all the variables assessed. Two loci were apparent in all relationships tested and included the HLA region as well as SLC22A1. GlycA appears to mediate the RA-atherosclerosis relationship through several possible pathways. GlycA, although pleiotropically related to RA, appears to causally predict atherosclerosis. Thus, GlycA is suggested as a significant factor in the etiology of atherosclerosis development in RA.

Restoration of epigenetic impairment in the skeletal muscle and chronic inflammation resolution as a therapeutic approach in sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is an age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, accompanied by severe adverse health outcomes, such as falls and fractures, functional decline, high health costs, and mortality. Hence, its prevention and treatment have become increasingly urgent. However, despite the wide prevalence and extensive research on sarcopenia, no FDA-approved disease-modifying drugs exist. This is probably due to a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying its pathophysiology. Recent evidence demonstrate that sarcopenia development is characterized by two key elements: (i) epigenetic dysregulation of multiple molecular pathways associated with sarcopenia pathogenesis, such as protein remodeling, insulin resistance, mitochondria impairments, and (ii) the creation of a systemic, chronic, low-grade inflammation (SCLGI). In this review, we focus on the epigenetic regulators that have been implicated in skeletal muscle deterioration, their individual roles, and possible crosstalk. We also discuss epidrugs, which are the pharmaceuticals with the potential to restore the epigenetic mechanisms deregulated in sarcopenia. In addition, we discuss the mechanisms underlying failed SCLGI resolution in sarcopenia and the potential application of pro-resolving molecules, comprising specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and their stable mimetics and receptor agonists. These compounds, as well as epidrugs, reveal beneficial effects in preclinical studies related to sarcopenia. Based on these encouraging observations, we propose the combination of epidrugs with SCLI-resolving agents as a new therapeutic approach for sarcopenia that can effectively attenuate of its manifestations.

Nature of the Association between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cervical Cancer and Its Potential Therapeutic Implications.

It is now established that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer (CC) or its precursor, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). However, the underlying mechanisms of this association have not been elucidated. RA is characterized by unresolved chronic inflammation. It is suggested that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in RA patients exacerbates inflammation, increasing the risk of CC. The tumor microenvironment in RA patients with CC is also marked by chronic inflammation, which aggravates the manifestations of both conditions. Gut and vaginal dysbiosis are also considered potential mechanisms that contribute to the chronic inflammation and aggravation of RA and CC manifestations. Numerous clinical and pre-clinical studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of various nutritional approaches to attenuate chronic inflammation, including polyunsaturated fatty acids and their derivatives, specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), probiotics, prebiotics, and certain diets. We believe that successful resolution of chronic inflammation and correction of dysbiosis, in combination with current anti-RA and anti-CC therapies, is a promising therapeutic approach for RA and CC. This approach could also reduce the risk of CC development in HPV-infected RA patients.

GlycA and CRP Are Genetically Correlated: Insight into the Genetic Architecture of Inflammageing.

Inflammageing is a condition of perpetual low-grade inflammation induced by ageing. Inflammageing may be predicted by the C-reactive protein (CRP) or by a recently described biomarker which measures N-glycosylated side chains of the carbohydrate component of several acute-phase proteins known as GlycA. The objective of this study was to examine in depth the genetic relationships between CRP and GlycA as well as between each of them and other selected cytokines, which may shed light on the mechanisms of inflammageing. Using the Olink 96 Inflammation panel, data on inflammatory mediators for 1518 twins from the TwinsUK dataset were acquired. Summary statistics for genome-wide association studies for several cytokines as well as CRP and GlycA were collected from public sources. Extensive genetic correlation analyses, colocalization and genetic enrichment analyses were carried out to detect the shared genetic architecture between GlycA and CRP. Mendelian randomization was carried out to assess potential causal relationships. GlycA predicted examined cytokines with a magnitude twice as great as that of CRP. GlycA and CRP were significantly genetically correlated (Rg = 0.4397 ± 0.0854, p-value = 2.60 × 10-7). No evidence of a causal relationship between GlycA and CRP, or between these two biomarkers and the cytokines assessed was obtained. However, the aforementioned relationships were explained well by horizontal pleiotropy. Five exonic genetic variants annotated to five genes explain the shared genetic architecture observed between GlycA and CRP: IL6R, GCKR, MLXIPL, SERPINA1, and MAP1A. GlycA and CRP possess a shared genetic architecture, but the relationship between them appears to be modest, which may imply the promotion of differing inflammatory pathways. GlycA appears to be a more robust predictor of cytokines compared to CRP.

Analysis of the Associations of Measurements of Body Composition and Inflammatory Factors with Cardiovascular Disease and Its Comorbidities in a Community-Based Study.

The associations of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with comorbidities and biochemical and body composition measurements are repeatedly described but have not been studied simultaneously. In the present cross-sectional study, information on CVD and comorbidities [type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension (HTN), and hyperlipidemia (HDL)], body composition, levels of soluble markers, and other measures were collected from 1079 individuals. When we examined the association of each comorbidity and CVD, controlling for other comorbidities, we observed a clear pattern of the comorbidity-related specific associations with tested covariates. For example, T2DM was significantly associated with GDF-15 levels and the leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio independently of two other comorbidities; HTN, similarly, was independently associated with extracellular water (ECW) levels, L/A ratio, and age; and HDL was independently related to age only. CVD showed very strong independent associations with each of the comorbidities, being associated most strongly with HTN (OR = 10.89, 6.46-18.38) but also with HDL (2.49, 1.43-4.33) and T2DM (1.93, 1.12-3.33). An additive Bayesian network analysis suggests that all three comorbidities, particularly HTN, GDF-15 levels, and ECW content, likely have a main role in the risk of CVD development. Other factors, L/A ratio, lymphocyte count, and the systemic inflammation response index, are likely indirectly related to CVD, acting through the comorbidities and ECW.