Association of the inflammatory state in active juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with hypo-high-density lipoproteinemia and reduced lipoprotein-associated platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase activity

Abstract

Objective. To investigate the relationship between the quantitative and qualitative abnormalities of apolipoprotein B (Apo B)-and Apo A-I-containing lipoproteins and between lipoprotein-associated plateletactivating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) activity in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) as a function of the inflammatory state.Methods. Twenty-six JRA patients and 22 ageand sex-matched control subjects with normal lipid levels participated in the study. Fourteen patients had active disease, and 12 had inactive disease. Plasma lipoproteins were fractionated by gradient ultracentrifugation into 9 subfractions, and their chemical composition and mass were determined. The PAF-AH activity associated with lipoprotein subfractions and the activity in plasma were also measured.Results. Patients with active JRA had significantly lower plasma total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels as compared with controls, due to the decrease in the mass of both the HDL2 and HDL3 subfractions. Patients with active JRA also had higher plasma triglyceride levels, mainly due to the higher triglyceride content of the very low-density lipoprotein plus the intermediate-density lipoprotein subfraction. The plasma PAF-AH activity in patients with active JRA was lower than that in controls, mainly due to the decrease in PAF-AH activity associated with the intermediate and dense low-density lipoprotein subclasses. The lipid abnormalities and the reduction in plasma PAF-AH activity were significantly correlated with plasma C-reactive protein levels and were not observed in patients with inactive JRA.Conclusion. This is the first study to show that patients with active JRA exhibit low levels of HDL2 and HDL3 and are deficient in plasma PAF-AH activity. These alterations suggest that active JRA is associated with partial loss of the antiinflammatory activity of plasma Apo B-and Apo A-I-containing lipoproteins.

Apolipoprotein A-I inhibits the production of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α by blocking contact-mediated activation of monocytes by T lymphocytes

“…This decrease was associated with the presence of anti-apo A-I antibodies in 32% of patients. 49 Recently, it was shown that the inflammatory condition in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis was associated with hypo-high density lipoproteinemia 50 and a significant decrease in apo A-I concentration in patient plasma. In rheumatoid arthritis, the levels of circulating apo A-I and HDL cholesterol in untreated patients are lower than in normal controls.…”

Temporomandibular joint involvement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: clinical predictors of magnetic resonance imaging signs

“…Informed consent was obtained from the older children (aged ≥18 years) and from the parents of all children. Disease activity was evaluated with a method previously described [24]. Mouth opening capacity was assessed with a ruler by asking the patient to open the mouth as wide as possible and measuring between the central incisors, adding the vertical overbite [25].…”

Association of PLA2G7 polymorphisms with carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive Japanese

“…6 This enzyme activity has been reported to correlate with several inflammatory diseases such as asthma, 7,8 systemic lupus erythematosus 9 and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. 10 Furthermore, previous reports have revealed that the polymorphism of pPAF-AH gene (PLA2G7) influences its activity. Miwa et al 11 discovered an autosomal recessive heredity form of pPAF-AH deficiency in Japanese families.…”