Enhanced erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation in obesity corresponds to low-grade inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have suggested that obesity enhances the inflammatory response, producing macromolecules involved in the induction and/or maintenance of increased erythrocyte aggregation. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the correlation between inflammation markers, erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation, and the degree of obesity and to assess phosphatidylserine expression on erythrocyte surface membrane of obese vs. nonobese individuals.


METHODS
Erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation in the peripheral venous blood was evaluated by using a new biomarker, phosphatidylserine expression was assessed by means of flow cytometry, and markers of inflammation were measured in 65 subjects: 30 obese [body mass index (BMI) = 41 +/- 7.7 kg/m(2)] and 35 nonobese (BMI = 24 +/- 2.7 kg/m(2)) individuals. Pearson correlations and Student's t test were performed.


RESULTS
A highly significant difference was noted in the degree of erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation and markers of inflammation between the study groups. BMI correlated with erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation (r = 0.42, p = 0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.42, p = 0.001), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (r = 0.55, p < 10(-4)), fibrinogen (r = 0.37, p = 0.004), and white blood cell count (r = 0.45, p < 10(-4)). The degree of erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.5, p < 10(-4)), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (r = 0.56, p < 10(-4)), fibrinogen (r = 0.54, p < 10(-4)), and white blood cell count (r = 0.32, p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that obesity-related erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation is probably mediated through increased concentrations of adhesive macromolecules in the circulation and not necessarily through hyperlipidemia or phosphatidylserine exposure on erythrocyte's membrane.
Samocha-Bonet
Dorit
D
Department of Internal Medicine D, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Lichtenberg
Dov
D
Tomer
Aaron
A
Deutsch
Varda
V
Mardi
Tamar
T
Goldin
Yelena
Y
Abu-Abeid
Subchi
S
Shenkerman
Galina
G
Patshornik
Hana
H
Shapira
Itzhak
I
Berliner
Shlomo
S
D000328:Adult; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein