title: Expression of Lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 enzyme in medical undergraduate students with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metabolic syndrome (MS) and atherosclerosis are chronic inflammatory conditions. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LpPLA2) is a circulatory marker of systemic inflammation and a risk predictor for cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to evaluate the expression of this enzyme in an effort to understand the underlying mechanism of atherosclerosis in MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included twenty patients of MS and same number of healthy controls. Anthropometry and clinical examination were carried out in both groups. Real time PCR was performed for LpPLA2 mRNA and relative expression was calculated using ΔΔCT method keeping β2 microglobin and β-actin as internal controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LpPLA2 mRNA expression was higher in patients of MS. Fold change was 5.7 when β2 microglobin was used as normaliser and 4.97 when β-actin was used. mRNA levels of LpPLA2 correlated significantly with waist circumference (r=0.462, p=0.003) and systolic blood pressure (r=0.392, p=0.015) as well as high density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=-0.453, p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High expression of LpPLA2 mRNA indicates that systemic inflammation has role in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in patients of MS. This is evident from its direct correlation with blood pressure. The study also suggests that expression of LpPLA2 may be associated with obesity. Therefore, LpPLA2 mRNA expression levels may develop as an important risk predictor for vascular complications in MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, University of Delhi, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India. Electronic address: seegarg@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.affiliation: University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, University of Delhi, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India. Electronic address: pranav.invincible@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pranav
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, University of Delhi, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India. Electronic address: rajarshi.kar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rajarshi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.affiliation: University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, University of Delhi, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India. Electronic address: vidyakar555@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vidya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sankar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, University of Delhi, Dilshad Garden, Delhi, India. Electronic address: drmohitucms@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehndiratta
mesh_terms: D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors; D013337:Students, Medical; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase; C526684:PLA2G7 protein, human
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Systemic inflammation