title: Effects of CRP infusion on endothelial function and coagulation in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic subjects.
abstract: C-reactive protein (CRP) has been suggested to exert direct adverse effects on the vasculature in experimental setups, including endothelial dysfunction and proinflammatory changes. Here, we assessed the consequences of 1.25 mg/kg highly purified recombinant human CRP, administered as an intravenous bolus, in six patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and six normocholesterolemic subjects. Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasoreactivity to serotonin and nitroprusside, respectively, were assessed using venous occlusion plethysmography before and after CRP infusion. For biochemical analyses, blood was drawn at different time points. At baseline, FH patients showed blunted endothelium-dependent vasodilation (maximum, 89.2 +/- 30.0% vs. 117.7 +/- 13.1% in normolipidemic subjects; P = 0.037). Procoagulant activity was also higher in FH patients, illustrated by increased prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F(1+2)) levels (P = 0.030) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) activity (P = 0.016). Upon CRP challenge, endothelium-dependent vasodilator capacity further deteriorated in FH patients (P = 0.029), whereas no change in vascular reactivity was observed in normolipidemic subjects. Additionally, coagulation activation was augmented in FH patients compared with normolipidemic subjects (P = 0.009 for F(1+2) levels; P = 0.018 and P = 0.003 for PAI-1 antigen and activity, respectively). No difference in inflammatory responses was observed between groups. In hypercholesterolemic patients, CRP aggravates endothelial dysfunction and also evokes augmented procoagulant responses. These findings suggest that particularly in hypercholesterolemia, CRP-lowering strategies should be considered in addition to LDL reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Radjesh J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bisoendial
authors.forename: John J P
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kastelein
authors.forename: Stephan L M
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Johannes H M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Levels
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Birjmohun
authors.forename: Joris I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Rotmans
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: Joost C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Meijers
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Erik S G
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Stroes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004727:Endothelium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia; D008875:Middle Aged; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000139:chemically induced; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein