Journal Article

Post-Streptococcal Antibodies Are Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in a Population-Based Cohort

Peppard, Paul, Weiner, Karin, Young, Terry, Aran, Adi, Mignot, Emmanuel, Lin, Ling, Finn, Laurel Ann

2011

Overview

Streptococcal infections are known to trigger autoimmune disorders, affecting millions worldwide. Recently, we found an association between post-streptococcal autoantibodies against Protein Disulphide Isomerase (PDI), an enzyme involved in insulin degradation and insulin resistance. This led us to evaluate associations between post-streptococcal antibodies and metabolic syndrome, as defined by the updated National Cholesterol Education Program definition, 2005. Metabolic data (HDL, triglycerides, fasting glucose, blood pressure, waist circumference, BMI, smoking), post-streptococcal antibodies (anti-Streptolysin O (ASO) and anti-PDI), and C-reactive protein (CRP, as a general inflammatory marker), were assessed in 1156 participants of the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study. Anti-PDI antibodies were found in 308 participants (26.6%), ASO≥100 in 258 (22.3%), and 482 (41.7%) met diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome. Anti-PDI antibodies but not ASO were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome [n = 1156, OR 1.463 (95% CI 1.114, 1.920), p = 0.0062; adjusted for age, gender, education, smoking]. Importantly, the anti-PDI-metabolic syndrome association remained significant after adjusting for CRP and fasting insulin. Post-streptococcal anti-PDI antibodies are associated with metabolic syndrome regardless of fasting insulin and CRP levels. Whereas these data are in line with a growing body of evidence linking infections, immunity and metabolism, additional studies are necessary to establish the post-streptococcal-metabolic syndrome association.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adipocytes / Adult / Antibodies / Antibodies, Bacterial - immunology / Autoantibodies / Autoantibodies - immunology / Autoimmune diseases / Autoimmunity / Behavioral sciences / Binding sites / Biology / Biomarkers - metabolism / Blood platelets / Blood pressure / Body mass / Body Mass Index / C-reactive protein / C-Reactive Protein - metabolism / Chemical bonds / Cholesterol / Cohort Studies / Diabetes / Diagnostic systems / Education / Enzymes / Fasting / Female / Health sciences / Heart / High density lipoprotein / Humans / Hypertension / Immunity / Infections / Inflammation / Insulin / Insulin - metabolism / Insulin Resistance / Male / Medicine / Metabolic disorders / Metabolic syndrome / Metabolic Syndrome - blood / Metabolic Syndrome - complications / Metabolic Syndrome - immunology / Metabolism / Middle Aged / Obesity / Pathogens / Physiological aspects / Polyclonal antibodies / Population / Prescription drugs / Proteins / Psychiatry / Response rates / Sleep / Sleep disorders / Smoking / Streptococcal Infections - blood / Streptococcal Infections - complications / Streptococcal Infections - immunology / Streptococcus / Streptococcus - immunology / Substance abuse treatment / Teaching methods / Triglycerides / Triglycerides - metabolism / Type 2 diabetes / Waist Circumference