Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Show Altered Lipoprotein Profiles with Dysfunctional High-Density Lipoproteins that Can Exacerbate Inflammatory and Atherogenic Process
Authors: Yeong Wook Song
Jae-Ryong Kim
Eun-Young Lee
Jae-Yong Kim
Jin Kyun Park
Kyung-Hyun Cho
Journal: PLoS ONE (2016)
Discipline: Multidisciplinary
Keywords: Biomarkers; Lipoprotein; Rheumatoid arthritis; Lipid; Lipoprotein properties
Affiliations: Dept of Medical Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, Republic of Korea., Research Institute of Protein Sensor, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, Republic of Korea., BK21plus Program Serum Biomedical Research and Education Team, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, 712-749, Republic of Korea., BK21plus Program, Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, and College of Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu,705-717, Republic of Korea.

Abstract:  Objective: In order to identify putative biomarkers in lipoprotein, we compared lipid and lipoprotein properties between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and control with similar age. Methods: We analyzed four classes of lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL, HDL2, HDL3) from both male (n = 8, 69±4 year-old) and female (n = 25, 53±7 year-old) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients as well as controls with similar age (n = 13). Results: Although RA group showed normal levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and glucose, however, the RA group showed significantly reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-C level and ratio of HDL-C/TC. The RA group showed significantly elevated levels of blood triglyceride (TG), uric acid, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity. The RA group also showed elevated levels of advanced glycated end (AGE) products in all lipoproteins and severe aggregation of apoA-I in HDL. As CETP activity and TG contents were 2-fold increased in HDL from RA group, paraoxonase activity was reduced upto 20%. Electron microscopy revealed that RA group showed much less HDL2 particle number than control. LDL from the RA group was severely oxidized and glycated with greater fragmentation of apo-B, especially in female group, it was more atherogenic via phagocytosis. Conclusion: Lipoproteins from the RA patients showed severely altered structure with impaired functionality, which is very similar to that observed in coronary heart patients. These dysfunctional properties in lipoproteins from the RA patients might be associated with high incidence of cardiovascular events in RA patients. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 5A appears to contain two images which overlap. There also appears to be undisclosed splicing in Figure 5B, but Iu2019m unsure if that is problematic. *** ![file] *** Full figure ![file] , 
 Figure 1C appears to show one lane has been spliced to the others (see red arrows). Black arrows in original. Could the authors comment? **![file] *** Full figure ![file] ,