title: Obesity associated molecular forms of C-reactive protein in human.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe novel C-reactive protein (CRP) molecular forms (mf) in human plasma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five novel CRP-mfs, disctinct from the previously described native (nCRP) and modified (mCRP) C-reactive proteins, were separated from human plasma by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunodetected by western blot in subjects with or without increased BMI, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes (n = 1800).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three of the five CRP-mfs were present in all samples. One, CRPmf-4, was present in a subgroup of subjects and its presence was associated with elevated body mass index (BMI). CRP-mf-5 was present in about 2% of the subjects and was not associated with any other parameters. The presence or distribution of the 5 CRP-mfs were not Ca2+-dependent. Crossed immuno-localization experiments indicated that none of the CRP-mfs were complexed with any of the lipoprotein classes or with signature proteins of the complement-factor. Moreover, the distribution of CRP-mfs were not significantly correlated with plasma CRP levels. CRP-mf-4 was significantly associated with increased BMI, but not with other parameters of the metabolic syndrome (HDL-C and triglyceride levels, and diabetes).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have identified five new CRP-mfs out of which CRP-mf-4 was significantly associated with obesity. We have shown that oligomerization of CRP was not calcium dependent. We hypothesize that adipose tissue produces a factor which influences the formation of CRP mf-4. CRP-mfs might be used as an obesity-associated inflammatory marker.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Bela F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Asztalos
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Horan
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Katalin V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ann Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Naga P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Chalasani
authors.affiliation: Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ernst J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Schaefer
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein