Complement proteins and arterial calcification in middle aged women: Cross-sectional effect of cardiovascular fat. The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study

Abstract

Background CVD risk increases in women after menopause. Recent data suggest higher levels of complement protein C3 and cardiovascular fat (CF) in postmenopausal women. Whether complement proteins are associated with early markers of atherosclerosis in healthy midlife women has never been evaluated. Additionally, the potential impact of the local CF on these associations has never been assessed. Methods Participants (n=100, age (mean(SD)):50.48(2.63), 50% premenopausal) were from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Arterial calcification (aortic-AC and coronary-CAC) and CF volumes around the heart and aorta (total heart-TAT and aortic perivascular adipose tissue-PVAT) were quantified using EBCT scans. AC and CAC were each evaluated as presence (Agatston scores>0) and extent of calcification (log (Agatston scores +1)). Logistic and linear regression models were used for statistical analysis. Results Adjusting for age, race, menopausal status and lipids, C3 was significantly associated with both presence and extent of AC and CAC, all P values <0.05. Associations between C3 and presence and extent of AC and CAC were explained by additional adjustment for logTAT and logPVAT, respectively. Association between C3 and log(AC+1) was more pronounced at higher volumes of logTAT (interaction-P=0.013) adjusting for study variables. No associations were found with C4. Conclusions Higher C3 was significantly associated with presence and greater extent of arterial calcification in midlife women. These associations were explained by higher volumes of CF, suggesting CF as a potential source of C3. C3 could be a potential non-invasive biomarker of early diagnosis of atherosclerosis. These findings need to be replicated in larger studies.

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Positively Associates with Metabolic Factors in Perimenopausal Women

“…For the premenopausal participants, venipuncture was scheduled on days 2–5 of a spontaneous menstrual cycle to evaluate sex hormone levels. For the perimenopausal participants, fasting serum samples were randomly obtained [ 19 ]. Blood samples were drawn after 10 hours of overnight fasting.…”

Blocking FSH inhibits hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis and reduces serum cholesterol

“…For the peri-menopausal participants, fasting serum samples were randomly obtained. 62 All investigators successfully completed a training program that was standardized and scripted for all investigators to minimize the interrater variability. Blood samples were collected from all participants between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM after a minimum of 10-h fasting.…”

Spermine and spermidine reversed age-related cardiac deterioration in rats

“…Activation of the immune response by elevating hydroperoxides levels, further activating NF-kB signaling, may be a key aging feature in the mouse heart [ 38 ]. In addition, Lian et al reported that astroglial NF-kB/C3 activation led to impaired synaptic density and dendritic morphology in brain tissue of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients [ 39 ], and the expressions of C3, C4 and C5 mRNA increased with age in C57BL/6 mice brain [ 37 - 39 ]. Here, our proteomic analysis revealed decreased C3 (SP/O: 0.811 and SPD/O: 0.555) and C4 (SP/O: 0.781 and SPD/O: 0.653) expressions in both SP- and SPD-treated rats, which may contribute to the anti-aging effects of these polyamines.…”