title: Linkage between C-reactive protein and triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammation plays an important role in atherosclerosis. Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Our goal was to study CRP metabolism, and to determine its relationship with lipoprotein metabolism using stable isotope methodology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight subjects with combined hyperlipidemia underwent a 15-h primed-constant infusion with deuterated leucine. CRP was purified from the plasma density fraction greater than 1.21g/ml by affinity chromatography. Lipoprotein fractions were separated by sequential ultracentrifugation. Isotope enrichment was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjects had mean LDL-C levels of 147.5mg/dl and mean CRP levels of 3.4mg/l. The mean CRP production rate (PR) was 0.050±0.012mg/kg/day and the mean CRP fractional catabolic rate (FCR) was 0.343±0.056 pools/day (residence time 2.92days). CRP pool size (PS) was significantly related to production (r=0.93; p<0.001), but not FCR. CRP PS was also related to body mass index (r=0.79; p=0.02). There was a significant association between CRP FCR and TRL apoB-100 FCR (r=0.74, p=0.04), as well as between CRP PS and TRL apoB-48 FCR (r=-0.90, p=0.002), indicating linkage between CRP and TRL metabolism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main determinant of plasma CRP levels was CRP production rate. Moreover a significant linkage between CRP metabolism and both TRL apoB-100 and apoB-48 catabolism was noted.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA. nuntakorn.thongtang@tufts.edu
authors.forename: Nuntakorn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thongtang
authors.forename: Margaret R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Diffenderfer
authors.forename: Esther M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: Bela F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Asztalos
authors.forename: Gregory G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Dolnikowski
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lamon-Fava
authors.forename: Ernst J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Schaefer
mesh_terms: D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D053283:Apolipoprotein B-48 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100; D053283:Apolipoprotein B-48; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007930:Leucine