Sex-dependent relationship of C-reactive protein levels with HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in children

Claudia Vales-Villamarín,Iris Pérez-Nadador,Leandro Soriano-Guillén,Teresa Gavela-Pérez,Olaya De Dios,Carmen Garcés

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-07271-8

Claudia Vales-Villamarín, Iris Pérez-Nadador + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07271-8

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Abstract

Obesity has been consistently associated with inflammation but the influence of HDL on this association remains under study. Our study analyzes the influence of obesity-related parameters in the relationship of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid in male and female adolescents. The study sample population comprised 350 males and 401 females aged 12 to 16 years. Information regarding anthropometric parameters, HDL-cholesterol, HDL-phospholipid, adiponectin, leptin, insulin, and hs-CRP concentrations was available. hs-CRP levels were inversely related to HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid in males but not in females, and were positively related to leptin concentrations in both sexes but were not related to adiponectin levels. In regression analyses, HDL-phospholipid and leptin appeared significantly associated to hs-CRP in males in a model explaining 14.3% of hs-CRP variation. In females, only leptin appeared related to hs-CRP concentrations. After adjusting by leptin and adiponectin, males in the highest hs-CRP tertile showed significantly lower levels of HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid than those in tertiles 1 and 2, while no significant differences in HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations by hs-CRP tertile were observed in females. In summary, high hs-CRP levels were associated with lower plasma HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in male adolescents irrespective of adipokines, while in females, HDL-related parameters are not associated with hs-CRP concentrations.

Highlights

C-reactive protein (CRP), the best studied marker of subclinical inflammation, has been shown to be a good predictor of cardiovascular risk when measured by high-sensitivity assays[3] and has been linked to the presence of the metabolic alterations leading to cardiovascular diseases[4]
In our study we have analyzed the relationship of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels with HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in a representative population-based sample of adolescents in order to clarify at this age the association between low-grade inflammation, evaluated by hs-CRP, and HDL metabolism
After adjusting for leptin and adiponectin, hs-CRP concentrations were negatively associated with HDLcholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in 12- to 16-year-old males

Summary

Introduction

Obesity has been consistently associated with inflammation but the influence of HDL on this association remains under study. Our study analyzes the influence of obesity-related parameters in the relationship of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with HDL-cholesterol and HDLphospholipid in male and female adolescents. High hs-CRP levels were associated with lower plasma HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in male adolescents irrespective of adipokines, while in females, HDL-related parameters are not associated with hs-CRP concentrations. We have previously identified adiponectin as an important determinant of HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in pubertal children, in females[22] Leptin is another adipose tissue related cytokine that plays an important role in the development of obesity and obesity-related complications such as altered lipid p rofile[23]. We aimed to investigate the independent relationship of plasma hs-CRP levels with HDLcholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in a population-based sample of males and females from 12 to 16 years of age

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