Pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and carotid intima-media thickness are each associated with different inflammatory protein signatures in young healthy adults: The Lifestyle, Biomarkers and Atherosclerosis study

Abstract Background and aims We aimed to identify plasma protein biomarkers related to inflammation correlated with physiological measurements of vascular function and structure in healthy individuals. Methods We used the OLINK proteomics panel, which measures 92 inflammatory proteins, in 834 young, healthy non-smokers (ages 18–26). Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to identify patterns of proteins. The following measurements were used: pulse-wave velocity (PWV), carotid-intima media thickness (cIMT) and augmentation index (AIX). Established cardiovascular risk factors were included in multivariable models. Results PCA showed four principal components (PC 1, PC 2, PC 3, PC 4). PC 3, comprising proteins related to hemostasis, was significantly and inversely correlated with PWV. Among the proteins with the highest factor loadings on PC 3, uPA was negatively correlated with PWV in multivariable regression models. AIX was significantly correlated with PC 2, comprising inflammatory cytokines. Among the proteins with the highest factor loadings on PC 2, interleukin-6 was significantly correlated with AIX in the multivariable model. cIMT was significantly correlated with PC 4, comprising proteins related to chemotaxis. Among the proteins with the highest factor loadings on PC 4, fractalkine was significantly correlated with cIMT in the multivariable model. Conclusions In young, healthy individuals, OLINK inflammatory proteins correlated with measures of vascular status. Each of the three measures PWV, AIX, and cIMT, which target different parts of the vasculature, correlated with its own specific protein signature, indicating that different subsets of inflammatory mediators affect different parts of the vasculature and are detectable already in young healthy adults.