title: Serum ferritin concentration is associated with plasma levels of cholesterol oxidation products in man.
abstract: Cholesterol oxidation products, oxysterols, are thought to play a part in the initiation and development of human atherosclerotic lesions. Excessive body iron has been suggested to promote atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease through its pro-oxidative properties. In the present study, the associations between serum ferritin and plasma oxysterol concentrations were examined in 669 eastern Finnish men. Serum ferritin concentration had statistically significant (p <.05) direct correlations with most of the measured oxysterols. In multivariate adjusted regression models, serum ferritin concentration predicted significantly the levels of 27-hydroxycholesterol (beta = 0.13, p <.001), 7alpha-hydroxycholesterol (beta = 0.11, p =.005), 25-hydroxycholesterol (beta = 0.10, p =.007), 7-ketocholesterol (beta = 0.10, p =.009), and 7beta-hydroxycholesterol (beta = 0.10, p =.02). In conclusion, excess body iron, as assessed by serum ferritin, is associated with increased levels of circulating oxysterols, both of enzymatic and nonenzymatic origin, in man.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Public Health, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Tomi-Pekka
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Tuomainen
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Diczfalusy
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaikkonen
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nyyssönen
authors.forename: Jukka T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Salonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006888:Hydroxycholesterols / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D006888:Hydroxycholesterols; C076996:27-hydroxycholesterol; C007997:25-hydroxycholesterol; D005293:Ferritins; D002784:Cholesterol