Healthy Adult LDL-C Bears Reverse Association with Serum IL-17A Levels

BACKGROUND: Hypercholesterolemia is a modifiable risk factor in atherosclerosis with a complex association with inflammation. OBJECTIVE: In the present study, the association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and interleukin 17A (IL-17A), as an inflammatory cytokine, was investigated. In addition to IL-17A, serum levels of interleukin 23 (IL-23) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), as effective cytokines in T helper 17 cell (Th17) development, were also determined. METHOD: Cytokine levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in healthy subjects with LDL-C<130 versus LDL-C=>130 mg/dL. RESULTS: Although IL-17A is an inflammatory cytokine and a positive association between its levels and LDL-C is expected, the data obtained in this study provide support for a reverse association (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Inflammation plays a major role in atherosclerosis development; however, various inflammatory components involved in atherosclerosis assert their own unique association with hypercholesterolemia.