Carotid Intima-media Thickness, Paraoxonase-1 Gene Polymorphism, Inflammation and Oxidation Status in Children with Family History of Premature Cardiovascular Diseases
Anastasia Ioannou
2nd Pediatric Department, Laboratory for Lipids and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Kali Makedou *
Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Anagnostis Argiriou
2nd Pediatric Department, Laboratory for Lipids and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece and Institute of Applied Biosciences, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Thessaloniki, Greece
Evangelos Destanis
Ultrasound Division, Laboratory of Radiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Athina Pantoleon
Ultrasound Division, Laboratory of Radiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Areti Zormpa
2nd Pediatric Department, Laboratory for Lipids and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
Areti Hitoglou
2nd Pediatric Department, Laboratory for Lipids and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) gene polymorphisms and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in adults have been associated to increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Possible relation of cIMT to PON-1 polymorphisms and to markers of inflammation and oxidation, in children with family history of premature CVD, was investigated.
Place of the Study: Laboratory for Lipids and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, 2nd Pediatric Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Methodology: Eighty four healthy children of normal BMI, were recruited; 42 with positive family history of premature CVD, median age 10 (7-15) years old (study group) and 42 age- and gender-matched controls. Levels of lipid profile parameters, high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) were determined. cIMT was measured by ultrasounds and PON-1 gene polymorphisms, Q192R and L55M, were investigated using standard PCR-RFLP.
Results: Median cIMT was higher in study group than in controls [0.45 (0.30-0.65) vs 0.4 (0.30-0.60)]. Only ApoA-I presented significant difference between the three subgroups with different PON-1 SNP of the L55M polymorphism (P=.03). Regression analysis showed that there was no statistically significant dependence of cIMT on age, lipid profile parameters or markers of inflammation and oxidation.
Conclusion: Family history of premature CVD and PON-1 gene polymorphism are not related with significant differences in cIMT in children. Inflammation and oxidation do not markedly affect cIMT in children with family history of premature CVD.
Keywords: Paraoxonase-1, IMT, gene polymorphisms, C-reactive protein, oxidized LDL, family history