Reciprocal contribution of pentraxin 3 and C-reactive protein to obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase protein that shares structural homology with C-reactive protein (CRP). PTX3 is produced in macrophages, endothelial cells, and adipocytes in response to inflammatory stimuli, whereas hepatocytes are the main source of CRP. Because obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are considered chronic inflammatory states, PTX3 might be involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and MetS as well as CRP. Levels of CRP correlated positively with body weight, BMI, waist circumference (WC), fasting plasma glucose and interleukin (IL)-6, and negatively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and adiponectin in healthy males. In contrast, PTX3 correlated positively with adiponectin, and negatively with body weight, BMI, WC, and triglyceride. Plasma CRP significantly increased, whereas plasma PTX3 significantly decreased with increasing BMI. Plasma CRP and PTX3 levels were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in individuals who had more than one MetS component compared with those who had none. In conclusion, PTX3 and CRP antagonistically participate in the development of obesity or MetS.