Association of plasma apolipoprotein Clll, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-α contributes to the clinical features of coronary heart disease in Li and Han ethnic groups in China

Background: Apolipoprotein Oil (apoCIII) is an independent risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). In this study, we investigated the associations among plasma apoCIII, hs-CRP and TNF-alpha levels and their roles in the clinical features of CHD in the Li and Han ethnic groups in China. Methods: A cohort of 474 participants was recruited (238 atherosclerotic patients and 236 healthy controls) from the Li and Han ethnic groups. Blood samples were obtained to evaluate apoCIII, TNF-alpha, hs-CRP and lipid profiles Chi-squared, t-tests, and Kruskal-Wallis or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests, Pearson or Spearman correlation tests and multiple unconditional logistic regression were employed to analyze lipid profiles and variations in plasma apoCIII, TNF-alpha, hs-CRP in subgroups of CHD and their contributions to CHD using SPSS version 20.0 software. Results: Compared to healthy participants, unfavorable lipid profiles were identified in CHD patients with enhanced systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, fasting blood sugar (FBS), TG, TC, LDL-C, apoB, Lp(a) (P< 0.05, TC and Lp(a); P < 0.01, FBS, TG, LDL-C, apoB); and lower HDL-C and apoAl (P < 0.05). Plasma apoCIII, TNF-alpha and hs-CRP levels were higher in CHD individuals (16.77 +/- 5.98 mg/dL vs 10.91+4.97 mg/dL; 17.23 = 6.34 pg/mL vs 9.49 +/- 3.88 pg/mL, 955 +/- 7.32 mg/L vs 2 14+ 1 56 mg/L, P< 001 vs healthy participants) Identical patterns were obtained in the Li and Han groups (16.46 = 6.08 mg/dL vs 11.72 +/- 5.16 mg/dL; 15.71 +/- 5.52 pg/mL vs 9.74 +/- 4.31 pg/mL, 8.21 +/- 7.09 mg/L vs. 2.15 +/- 1.51 mg/L in Li people; 17.05 +/- 5.90 mg/dL vs. 10.07 +/- 4.63 mg/dL; 18.59 +/- 6.73 pg/mL vs 9.23 +/- 3. 38 pg/mL; 10.75 +/- 7.44 mg/L vs 2.12 +/- 1.63 mg/L in Han people; P < 0.01). Paired comparisons of subgroups with stable angina, unstable angina, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) revealed significant variation in plasma levels of apoCIII, TNF-alpha and hs-CRP (P < 0.01), but not among subgroups with mild, moderate and severe stenosis (P >0.05). Plasma apoCIII, TNF-alpha and hs-CRP contributed to the development of CHD (OR = 2.554, 7.252, 6.035, P < 0.01) with paired correlations in CHD patients (apoCIII vs TNF-alpha, r= 0.425, apoCIII vs hs-CRP, r = 0.319, TNF-alpha vs hs-CRP, r = 0.400, P < 0.01). Conclusions: Association among plasma apoCIII, hs-CRP and TNF-alpha interacts with unfavorable lipid profiles to contiribute to the clinical features of CHD with stable angina, unstable angina, and AMI in the Li and Han ethnic groups in China.