Association between plasma angiopoietin-like protein 3 and arterial wall thickness in healthy subjects.
BACKGROUND
Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) is a liver-derived plasma protein that modulates plasma triglyceride clearance, angiogenesis and atherosclerosis in experimental models. So far, no study has examined its role in atherosclerosis in human subjects. We evaluated the possible association between plasma ANGPTL3 level and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CA-IMT) and femoral artery intima-media thickness (FA-IMT) in healthy human subjects.


METHODS
The subjects were 381 healthy volunteers. Plasma ANGPTL3 was determined by a specific ELISA. CA-IMT and FA-IMT were measured by high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography.


RESULTS
The plasma ANGPTL3 level was 764 +/- 291 ng/ml (mean +/- SD). CA-IMT showed a significant positive correlation with plasma ANGPTL3 and other classical risk factors such as age, blood pressure, and plasma glucose and lipid levels. The positive association between ANGPTL3 and CA-IMT remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, plasma glucose, insulin resistance index, triglyceride, and high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. ANGPTL3 also showed a positive association with FA-IMT independent of these factors.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate for the first time that ANGPTL3 is closely associated with arterial wall thickness in human subjects.
Hatsuda
Sawako
S
Department of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
Shoji
Tetsuo
T
Shinohara
Kayo
K
Kimoto
Eiji
E
Mori
Katsuhito
K
Fukumoto
Shinya
S
Koyama
Hidenori
H
Emoto
Masanori
M
Nishizawa
Yoshiki
Y
D000091303:Angiopoietin-Like Protein 3; D000075802:Angiopoietin-like Proteins; D042682:Angiopoietins; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D007564:Japan; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
C479896:ANGPTL3 protein, human; D000091303:Angiopoietin-Like Protein 3; D000075802:Angiopoietin-like Proteins; D042682:Angiopoietins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins