Effects of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 on arginase/nitric oxide pathway in hemodialysis patients.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and arginase are recently described inflammatory biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible effects of serum Lp-PLA2 mass levels on arginase/nitric oxide (NO) pathway as a cardiovascular risk marker in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Forty-three HD patients and 15 healthy subjects were included in this study. Lipid profile, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), albumin, creatinine, body mass index (BMI), Lp-PLA2 and total nitrite levels, and arginase activity were determined in serum samples from patients and control subjects. Lp-PLA2 levels were found to be positively correlated with arginase, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and age and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and total nitrite levels, while there was no correlation with BMI and hs-CRP, albumin, and creatinine levels in HD patients. We conclude that elevated Lp-PLA2 mass levels may contribute to impaired arginase/NO pathway in HD patients and that increased the arginase activity and Lp-PLA2 mass levels with decreased total nitrite levels seem to be useful biochemical markers in terms of reflecting endothelial dysfunction and associated cardiovascular risks in HD patients.