Inflammatory proteins are related to total and abdominal adiposity in a healthy adolescent population: the AVENA Study.
BACKGROUND
In adults, obesity is characterized by a state of chronic low-grade inflammation accompanied by moderately high concentrations of acute phase inflammatory proteins. Recent results regarding C-reactive protein (CRP) point to a similar status in adolescents; however, studies of associations of the serum inflammatory proteins CRP, ceruloplasmin, and complement factors C3 and C4 with body fat distribution remain scarce.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to establish the possible relations of serum inflammatory proteins with body fat estimates and body fat distribution in an apparently healthy adolescent population.


METHODS
This report included 472 adolescents (248 males and 224 females) aged 13-18.5 y who were recruited from the Spanish cross-sectional multicenter AVENA Study for whom anthropometric and immunologic data were complete. The concentrations of the serum proteins and the in vitro production of cytokines (interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha) by isolated and stimulated white blood cells were measured. Relations with anthropometric measurements were explored by using simple and partial correlations.


RESULTS
CRP, C3, and C4 were correlated with central obesity (as measured by waist circumference) and total body fat in both sexes (P < 0.01) and with ceruloplasmin in females only. After further adjustment for BMI, C3 remained independently associated with central obesity (P < 0.05). Production of the cytokines by white blood cells did not seem to be affected by an excess of body fat.


CONCLUSIONS
Total body fat seems to be associated with a chronic low-grade systemic inflammation in apparently healthy adolescents. Central obesity is independently associated with C3 concentrations, which makes this marker especially interesting for further studies of obesity-related diseases.
Wärnberg
Julia
J
Immunonutrition Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain.
Nova
Esther
E
Moreno
Luis A
LA
Romeo
Javier
J
Mesana
Maria I
MI
Ruiz
Jonatan R
JR
Ortega
Francisco B
FB
Sjöström
Michael
M
Bueno
Manuel
M
Marcos
Ascensión
A
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000032:analysis; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002570:Ceruloplasmin