Evaluation of high sensitive C-reactive protein and 5-10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype in japanese young adults.
OBJECTIVE
To carry out a preliminary evaluation of subclinical inflammation and its genetic background in young adults.


METHODS
Fifty-five healthy Japanese young adults aged 19-27 years (37 males and 18 females, mean age: 22.3 years), and 58 healthy Japanese adults aged 40 to 60 years (21 males and 37 females, mean age: 51.5 years) were included in this study.


METHODS
We measured plasma high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and screened for the C677T polymorphism of the 5-10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR), which is considered a genetic risk factor for atherosclerosis, by HinfI digestion.


RESULTS
Hs-CRP levels of the young adult group were significantly lower than the levels of the middle aged group (0.014 +/- 0.030 mg/dl vs. 0.031 +/- 0.040 mg/dl, p = 0.005). The levels were significantly higher in males than in females (0.028 +/- 0.019 mg/dl vs. 0.013 +/- 0.010 mg/dl, p = 0.008) among young adults. Furthermore, we evaluated the relationship of the C677T genotype and hs-CRP values, but found no association between them.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the sample size is limited, our preliminary study demonstrated the profiles of hs-CRP in Japanese young adults. Further investigation will be needed to establish the guidelines for customized school health education using sensitive laboratory and genetic markers.
Kimura
Yuko
Y
Department of Public Health, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
Takamura
Noboru
N
Fukunaga
Masato
M
Kanagae
Mitsuo
M
Abe
Yasuyo
Y
Aoyagi
Kiyoshi
K
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)