Association between serum cytokine concentrations and the presence of hypertriglyceridemia

Hypertriglyceridemia is an established risk factor for coronary-heart-disease. Inflammatory cytokines are known to be important mediators of atherogenesis; however, the relationship between the concentrations of specific inflammatory cytokines and the presence of hypertriglyceridemia has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the serum levels of several pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and the presence of hypertriglyceridemia.

Four hundred and eighty-four subjects with/without established hypertriglyceridemia were recruited. Anthropometric parameters and biochemical analysis (including a full fasting lipid profile) were determined. The serum levels of several cytokines and growth factors including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, IFN-γ, EGF, and VEGF were measured followed by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Individuals with hypertriglyceridemia had a significantly higher body mass index, total-cholesterol and triglyceride, compared to the group without hypertriglyceridemia. Serum levels of MCP-1, TNF-α and IL-8 were significantly higher in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia [e.g., IL-8 from 7.8ng/L (95% CI: 4.6-18.9) versus 5.7ng/L (95% CI: 3.6-11.9), P<0.05]. The multivariate analysis showed that the increased serum concentration of TNF-α was independently associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), while the serum levels of IL-8 and MCP-1 were associated with hypertriglyceridemia.

Subjects with serum triglycerides of ≥2.25mmol/L had an altered cytokine-profile, particularly with respect to serum IL-8, MCP-1 and TNF-α, which might partially account for its adverse clinical-consequences. Further-investigations in a large multi-center setting are warranted to unravel the potential functional-importance of these cytokines in individuals with hypertriglyceridemia.