The decrease in C-reactive protein concentration after diet and physical activity induced weight reduction is associated with changes in plasma lipids, but not interleukin-6 or adiponectin.

Subclinical inflammation is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms underlying increased levels of inflammatory markers and their changes in response to weight loss are not fully understood yet. It has been proposed that elevated concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) are mediated by cytokines produced in adipose tissue. We investigated the changes in circulating CRP after weight reduction, in relation to parameters relevant to the metabolic syndrome. Forty 25- to 35-year-old obese female volunteers participated in an intervention program of dietary education and supervised physical activity for a period of 9 weeks. Anthropological parameters and biochemical measurements (high-sensitivity CRP [hsCRP], plasma lipoproteins, interleukin 6 [IL-6], adiponectin) were analyzed before and after the intervention. Body mass index decreased by more than 7% from 31.5 +/- 4.1 to 29.1 +/- 3.9. Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations decreased by 30%, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased by 8%, and fasting insulin concentrations decreased by 15%. There were no significant changes in either low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triacylglycerol concentrations. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue mass decreased by 12% and 18%. High-sensitivity CRP concentrations decreased by 30%; however, mean plasma IL-6 and adiponectin concentrations remained unchanged. In linear regression analysis, the changes in plasma hsCRP concentrations were associated with baseline hsCRP concentration, change in triacylglycerols and FFA concentrations, and in waist circumference. The decrease in hsCRP concentration after weight reduction does not appear to be mediated by decreases in circulating IL-6 or adiponectin concentrations; however, change in hsCRP concentration is related to changes in waist circumference and lipid metabolism, reflected by plasma triacylglycerol and FFA levels.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration in patients with myocardial infarction-environmental factors, and polymorphisms in interleukin-10 and CD14 genes.

BACKGROUND: It has been shown that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations are associated with elevated risk of myocardial infarction, but the mechanisms regulating hsCRP concentration are not completely elucidated yet. In our study, association of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and CD14 polymorphisms and environmental factors with the risk of myocardial infarction was studied. METHODS: The study group consisted of 284 male patients aged below 65 years, admitted to hospital for myocardial infarction. The controls were age-matched individuals selected from a 1% representative population sample of adult men. RESULTS: While there was no difference in body mass index (BMI), the patients more frequently had abdominal-type obesity. hsCRP concentration was higher in patients (2.12+/-2.31 mg/L) than in controls (1.40+/-1.56 mg/L; p=0.001), in spite of statin treatment in most of the patients. No significant difference in lipoprotein concentrations was found. There was no difference in IL-10 and CD14 genotype distributions between the patients and controls. In smoking patients carrying the CD14 C allele, hsCRP concentration was significantly higher (p=0.0012) than in a non-smoking patients with the same allele. According to linear regression analysis, statin treatment was the only variable with an influence that reached statistical significance in the patient group, while in the control group, age, smoking, education and BMI significantly influenced hsCRP concentration. CONCLUSIONS: There was no association between IL-10 and CD14 polymorphisms and myocardial infarction occurrence. Gene-environment interaction may play an important role in influencing hsCRP concentration.