title: Connection between telomerase activity in PBMC and markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in patients with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a constellation of metabolic derangements associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress and is widely regarded as an inflammatory condition, accompanied by an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The present study tried to investigate the implications of telomerase activity with inflammation and impaired endothelial function in patients with metabolic syndrome. Telomerase activity in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), TNF-α, IL-6 and ADMA were monitored in 39 patients with MS and 20 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Telomerase activity in PBMC, TNF-α, IL-6 and ADMA were all significantly elevated in patients with MS compared to healthy volunteers. PBMC telomerase was negatively correlated with HDL and positively correlated with ADMA, while no association between TNF-α and IL-6 was observed. IL-6 was increasing with increasing systolic pressure both in the patients with MS and in the healthy volunteers, while smoking and diabetes were positively correlated with IL-6 only in the patients' group. In conclusion, in patients with MS characterised by a strong dyslipidemic profile and low diabetes prevalence, significant telomerase activity was detected in circulating PBMC, along with elevated markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. These findings suggest a prolonged activity of inflammatory cells in the studied state of this metabolic disorder that could represent a contributory pathway in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Second Cardiology Department, Amalia Fleming General Hospital, Athens, Attiki, Greece.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rentoukas
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsarouhas
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaplanis
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Korou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marathonitis
authors.forename: Stavroula
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kokkinou
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haliassos
authors.forename: Avgi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mamalaki
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kouretas
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsitsimpikou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D019098:Telomerase / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C487735:dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine; D019098:Telomerase