Circulating osteoprotegerin levels are associated with age, waist-to-hip ratio, serum total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in healthy Korean women.
Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a recently identified cytokine that acts as a decoy receptor for the receptor activator of nuclear factor I masculine B ligand. Osteoprotegerin has been shown to be an important inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis and arterial calcification in animal models. Recently, OPG has been proposed as a link molecule between osteoporosis and arterial calcification, but the relationship between circulating OPG levels and cardiovascular disease in human populations is unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between circulating OPG levels and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy Korean women. The subjects were 286 women aged 37 to 73 (mean +/- SD, 51.5 +/- 6.9 years). We examined blood pressure, body mass index, and waist-to-hip ratio. Serum concentrations of OPG were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fasting plasma glucose levels, serum lipid profiles, insulin levels, and serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were determined by standard methods and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance was calculated. We observed a significant association between serum OPG levels and age, waist-to-hip ratio, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and FSH levels (P < .05). Among the metabolic components, the older, obese, and hypercholsterolemic subjects had higher serum OPG levels (P < .05). However, no significant relationship was found between serum OPG levels and blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose levels. We found that mean serum OPG levels were about 11% greater in postmenopausal women (mean +/- SD, 1358.5 +/- 380.0 pg/mL) than in premenopausal women (mean +/- SD, 1228.8 +/- 407.7 pg/mL, P < .001). In multiple regression analysis with OPG as the dependent variable, serum FSH and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were the significant predictor for serum OPG level (R(2) = 0.051, P < .05). In conclusion, our results show that circulating OPG levels are partly associated with cardiovascular risk factors and menopausal status in healthy Korean women. Out findings suggest that OPG may be an important paracrine factor of cardiovascular disease in the female population.
Oh
Eun Sook
ES
Department of Internal Medicine, Miz Medi Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Rhee
Eun-Jung
EJ
Oh
Ki Won
KW
Lee
Won Young
WY
Baek
Ki Hyun
KH
Yoon
Kun Ho
KH
Kang
Moo Il
MI
Yun
Eun Joo
EJ
Park
Cheol Young
CY
Choi
Moon Gi
MG
Yoo
Hyung Joon
HJ
Park
Sung Woo
SW
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000097:blood*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D012307:Risk Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; D002784:Cholesterol