The responses of the inflammatory marker, pentraxin 3, to dietary sodium and potassium interventions

Pentraxin-3 is a sensitive marker of inflammation that plays dual roles, pathogenic and cardioprotective, in the progression of cardiovascular diseases. Inflammation is intimately involved in salt-induced hypertension. We investigated the responses of pentraxin-3 to sodium and potassium supplementation to elucidate the potential role of pentraxin-3 in salt-induced hypertension. A total of 48 participants from northwest China were enrolled. All participants were maintained on a 3-day normal diet, which was sequentially followed by a 7-day low-sodium diet, a 7-day high-sodium diet, and a 7-day high-sodium plus potassium diet. Plasma concentrations of pentraxin-3 were assessed using ELISA. Plasma pentraxin-3 decreased significantly during the low-salt period compared to baseline (0.57 ± 0.19 ng/mL vs 0.72 ± 0.33 ng/mL, P = .012) and increased during the high-salt period (0.68 ± 0.26 ng/mL vs 0.57 ± 0.19 ng/mL, P = .037). Potassium supplementation inhibited salt-induced increase in pentraxin-3 (0.56 ± 0.21 ng/mL vs 0.68 ± 0.26 ng/mL, P = .015). Ln-transformed pentraxin-3 at baseline was inversely correlated with BMI (r = -.349, P = .02), DBP (r = -.414, P = .005), MAP (r = -.360, P = .017). We found a positive correlation between the ln-transformed concentrations of pentraxin-3 and 24-hour urinary sodium during low and high Na⁺ periods (r = .269, P = .012) and a negative relationship with 24 hours urinary potassium excretion during high-salt and high-salt plus potassium periods (r = -.246, P = .02). These correlations remained significant after adjusting for confounders. Pentraxin-3 responses were more prominent in salt-sensitive individuals than salt-resistant individuals. Dietary salt and potassium interventions significantly altered circulating pentraxin-3.