Myeloperoxidase is an early biomarker of inflammation and cardiovascular risk in prepubertal obese children.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is associated with a state of chronic low-grade inflammation. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) plays an important role in the initiation and progression of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objectives of the current study were to evaluate plasma MPO levels in prepubertal obese children and to determine whether MPO could be an early biomarker of inflammation and CVD risk.


METHODS
In a prospective multicenter case-control study paired by age and sex of 446 Caucasian prepubertal children ages 6-12 years, 223 normal-weight and 223 obese children were recruited. Blood pressure, waist circumference, weight, and height were measured. In addition to MPO, glucose, insulin, metabolic lipid parameters, oxidized low-density lipoproteins, adiponectin, leptin, resistin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 were determined.


RESULTS
We found that MPO was elevated in prepubertal obese children and that this enzyme was associated with such proinflammatory and cardiovascular risk biomarkers as CRP, MMP-9, and resistin. Insulin resistance calculated by the homeostatic assessment model was the best predictor of MPO.


CONCLUSIONS
MPO is an early biomarker of inflammation associated with CVD risk in obese children at the prepubertal age.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Center for Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. jolza@ugr.es
Josune
J
Olza
Concepcion M
CM
Aguilera
Mercedes
M
Gil-Campos
Rosaura
R
Leis
Gloria
G
Bueno
Maria D
MD
Martínez-Jiménez
Miguel
M
Valle
Ramon
R
Cañete
Rafael
R
Tojo
Luis A
LA
Moreno
Angel
A
Gil
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D052243:Resistin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D009195:Peroxidase