BACKGROUND: A role of inflammation for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is established. Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is an independent CVD risk factor where plasma levels are determined by the apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] gene, which contains inflammatory response elements. DESIGN: We investigated the effect of inflammation on allele-specific apo(a) levels in African-Americans and Caucasians. We determined Lp(a) levels, apo(a) sizes, allele-specific apo(a) levels, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 167 African-Americans and 259 Caucasians. RESULTS: Lp(a) levels were increased among African-Americans with higher vs. lower levels of CRP [<3 vs. > or =3 mg/liter (143 vs. 108 nmol/liter), P = 0.009] or fibrinogen (<340 vs. > or =340 mg/liter, P = 0.002). We next analyzed allele-specific apo(a) levels for different apo(a) sizes. No differences in allele-specific apo(a) levels across CRP or fibrinogen groups were seen among African-Americans or Caucasians for small apo(a) sizes (<22 kringle 4 repeats). Allele-specific apo(a) levels for medium apo(a) sizes (22-30 kringle 4 repeats) were significantly higher among African-Americans, with high levels of CRP or fibrinogen compared with those with low levels (88 vs. 67 nmol/liter, P = 0.014, and 91 vs. 59 nmol/liter, P < 0.0001, respectively). No difference was found for Caucasians. CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels of CRP or fibrinogen are associated with higher allele-specific medium-sized apo(a) levels in African-Americans but not in Caucasians. These findings indicate that proinflammatory conditions result in a selective increase in medium-sized apo(a) levels in African-Americans and suggest that inflammation-associated events may contribute to the interethnic difference in Lp(a) levels between African-Americans and Caucasians.
BACKGROUND: A role of inflammation for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is established. Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is an independent CVD risk factor where plasma levels are determined by the apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] gene, which contains inflammatory response elements. DESIGN: We investigated the effect of inflammation on allele-specific apo(a) levels in African-Americans and Caucasians. We determined Lp(a) levels, apo(a) sizes, allele-specific apo(a) levels, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 167 African-Americans and 259 Caucasians. RESULTS:Lp(a) levels were increased among African-Americans with higher vs. lower levels of CRP [<3 vs. > or =3 mg/liter (143 vs. 108 nmol/liter), P = 0.009] or fibrinogen (<340 vs. > or =340 mg/liter, P = 0.002). We next analyzed allele-specific apo(a) levels for different apo(a) sizes. No differences in allele-specific apo(a) levels across CRP or fibrinogen groups were seen among African-Americans or Caucasians for small apo(a) sizes (<22 kringle 4 repeats). Allele-specific apo(a) levels for medium apo(a) sizes (22-30 kringle 4 repeats) were significantly higher among African-Americans, with high levels of CRP or fibrinogen compared with those with low levels (88 vs. 67 nmol/liter, P = 0.014, and 91 vs. 59 nmol/liter, P < 0.0001, respectively). No difference was found for Caucasians. CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels of CRP or fibrinogen are associated with higher allele-specific medium-sized apo(a) levels in African-Americans but not in Caucasians. These findings indicate that proinflammatory conditions result in a selective increase in medium-sized apo(a) levels in African-Americans and suggest that inflammation-associated events may contribute to the interethnic difference in Lp(a) levels between African-Americans and Caucasians.
Authors: Iris Shai; Eric B Rimm; Susan E Hankinson; Carolyn Cannuscio; Gary Curhan; JoAnn E Manson; Nader Rifai; Meir J Stampfer; Jing Ma Journal: Eur Heart J Date: 2005-04-11 Impact factor: 29.983
Authors: J-P Chretien; J Coresh; Y Berthier-Schaad; W H L Kao; N E Fink; M J Klag; S M Marcovina; F Giaculli; M W Smith Journal: J Med Genet Date: 2006-07-13 Impact factor: 6.318
Authors: F Kronenberg; H Kathrein; P König; U Neyer; W Sturm; K Lhotta; E Gröchenig; G Utermann; H Dieplinger Journal: Arterioscler Thromb Date: 1994-09
Authors: Benjamin J Visser; Sophia G de Vries; Rieke Vingerling; Martin Gritter; Danielle Kroon; Lídia Ciudad Aguilar; Rik B J Kraan; Rosanne W Wieten; François Danion; Barbara Sjouke; Akim A Adegnika; Selidji T Agnandji; Peter G Kremsner; Thomas Hänscheid; Petra F Mens; Michèle van Vugt; Martin P Grobusch Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2017-05 Impact factor: 2.345