Age-related increase of plasma platelet-activating factor concentrations in Chinese.
BACKGROUND
Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent bioactive phospholipid, which may be one of the determinants of atherogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the concentrations of plasma platelet-activating factor and age in a common Chinese population.


METHODS
Two-hundred seventy-nine Han nation subjects (male: n=162; female: n=117) who had visited two hospitals for overall health survey, as an annual medical check-up or for other reasons by clinical examinations were recruited and divided into six age groups (21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, 71-80 years). PAF was extracted from their plasma and purified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The PAF concentrations were detected by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
The PAF concentrations (pg/ml) in plasma showed significantly age-related increase (r=0.3348, P<0.01, n=279). In the 21-30-year group, the PAF concentration was 338+/-96 pg/ml. Except for the 31-40-year group, the PAF concentrations in other four groups were all higher than that of the 21-30-year group (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Considering PAF is one of the key factors relevant to progression of atherogenesis, and the high concentrations of plasma PAF may therefore serve as a marker for the risk of atherosclerosis. Adjustment of the concentrations of plasma PAF correlated with aging may be helpful to reducing the prevalence rate of multi-senile arteriosclerosis occlusive diseases.
Department of Neurology, Clinical Medicine College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225001, PR China. xiongz715@sohu.com
Xiong
X
Zhang
Cheng-Lin
CL
Yuan
Heng-Zhong
HZ
Zhang
Ru-Xun
RX
Huang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D002681:China; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012044:Regression Analysis
D010972:Platelet Activating Factor