Association of serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha with serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and blood pressure in apparently healthy Japanese women.
1. The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is considered to be involved in the development of atherosclerosis by inducing local inflammatory responses in the vascular wall. Because TNF-alpha is also known to affect lipid and glucose metabolism, the association between the circulating concentration of TNF-alpha and atherogenic risk factors was examined in 82 apparently healthy Japanese women (aged 19-69 years; mean age 48.5 years). 2. The mean (+/-SD) serum TNF-alpha concentration was 2.7+/-0.9 pg/mL (range 1.4-5.9 pg/mL). The TNF-alpha concentration showed significant correlations with age (r = 0.28; P = 0.01), body mass index (r = 0.27; P = 0.01), the waist-hip ratio (r = 0.41; P = 0.0002), percentage body fat (r = 0.30; P = 0.006), systolic (r = 0.32; P = 0.004) and diastolic (r = 0.24; P = 0.03) blood pressure, total cholesterol (r = 0.27; P = 0.02) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C; r = 0.36; P = 0.001), while the correlations with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (r = -0.20; P = 0.08) and insulin resistance estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA(IR); r = 0.16; P = 0.15) were not statistically significant. 3. When adjusted for age and menopause, TNF-alpha was significantly associated with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.25; P = 0.02) and LDL-C (r = 0.27; P = 0.02). The association between TNF-alpha and LDL-C remained significant when adjustment was made for age, menopause and the waist-hip ratio (r = 0.24; P = 0.03). 4. Our results indicate that TNF-alpha may play a role in modulating blood pressure and LDL-C.
Ito
H
H
Fukuoka Health Promotion Foundation, Japan. ito@kenkou-fukuoka.or.jp
Ohshima
A
A
Tsuzuki
M
M
Ohto
N
N
Takao
K
K
Hijii
C
C
Yanagawa
M
M
Ogasawara
M
M
Nishioka
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha