Inflammation induces fibrinogen nitration in experimental human endotoxemia

Elevated plasma fibrinogen is a prothrombotic risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent small studies report that fibrinogen oxidative modifications, specifically tyrosine residue nitration, can occur in inflammatory states and may modify fibrinogen function. HDL cholesterol is inversely related to CVD and suggested to reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, but whether these antioxidant functions extend to fibrinogen modifications is unknown. We used a recently validated ELISA to quantify nitrated fibrinogen during experimental human endotoxemia (N=23) and in a cohort of healthy adults (N=361) who were characterized for inflammatory and HDL parameters as well as subclinical atherosclerosis measures, carotid artery intima-medial thickness (IMT) and coronary artery calcification (CAC). Fibrinogen nitration increased following endotoxemia and directly correlated with accelerated ex vivo plasma clotting velocity. In the observational cohort, nitrated fibrinogen was associated with levels of CRP and serum amyloid A. Nitrated fibrinogen levels were not lower with increasing HDL cholesterol and did not associate with IMT and CAC. In humans, fibrinogen nitration was induced during inflammation and was correlated with markers of inflammation and clotting function but not HDL cholesterol or subclinical atherosclerosis in our modest sample. Inflammation-induced fibrinogen nitration may be a risk factor for promoting CVD events.