C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan

Racial and ethnic minorities in economically deprived inner cities experience high rates of chronic diseases compared to neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic status (SES). However, these economically deprived populations are understudied in terms of biomarkers associated with chronic disease risk...

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Main Authors: David P. Ferguson, Eric C. Leszczynski, Teresa H. Horton, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Joseph Gardiner, Amber L. Pearson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2022-12-01
Series:Sports Medicine and Health Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666337622000439
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author David P. Ferguson
Eric C. Leszczynski
Teresa H. Horton
Karin A. Pfeiffer
Joseph Gardiner
Amber L. Pearson
author_facet David P. Ferguson
Eric C. Leszczynski
Teresa H. Horton
Karin A. Pfeiffer
Joseph Gardiner
Amber L. Pearson
author_sort David P. Ferguson
collection DOAJ
description Racial and ethnic minorities in economically deprived inner cities experience high rates of chronic diseases compared to neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic status (SES). However, these economically deprived populations are understudied in terms of biomarkers associated with chronic disease risk which include C-reactive protein (CRP), telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), and glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C). We examined relationships between CRP and TERT and chronic disease indicators (body mass index [BMI] and A1C) in two low-income, predominantly African American (AA) neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan. Sixty-nine adults (43 females, 26 males, mean age 46 years [y], standard deviation [SD] ​= ​15.9) completed a health survey, anthropometry, and finger stick blood tests. A1C was measured using A1CNow test strips, and CRP and TERT levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with samples extracted from dried blood spots. We examined CRP (mean ​= ​4.9, SD ​= ​3.1), TERT (mean ​= ​32.5, SD ​= ​15.1), and A1C (mean ​= ​5.4, SD ​= ​1.0) by BMI category. We fitted restricted maximum likelihood regression models to evaluate associations between CRP, TERT, BMI, and A1C, after adjustment for demographics and inclusion of a random effect for the neighborhood. In this predominantly AA sample (91%, 63/69), 68% had levels of CRP (means ​= ​4.8 ​mg/L, SD ​= ​3.0 for AAs; 6.4 ​mg/L, SD ​= ​3.9 for all others) indicative of chronic inflammation (CRP greater than 3 ​mg/L). BMI was significantly associated with CRP (p ​= ​0.004) and TERT (p ​= ​0.026). TERT levels indicate that being overweight is associated with markers of chromosome remodeling, suggestive of chronic disease. CRP followed a similar trend with overweight individuals having higher inflammation and risk of chronic disease. Our findings warrant further exploration of additional factors that may influence CRP and TERT. Furthermore, examining populations in a more ethnically and/or economically diverse, yet still high proportion minority, sample will fill a knowledge gap in this understudied field.
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spelling doaj.art-d67f969e4b654118955a8094ad0ab4792022-12-29T04:14:00ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Sports Medicine and Health Science2666-33762022-12-0144275279C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, MichiganDavid P. Ferguson0Eric C. Leszczynski1Teresa H. Horton2Karin A. Pfeiffer3Joseph Gardiner4Amber L. Pearson5Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, United StatesDepartment of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, United StatesDepartment of Anthropology, Northwestern University, United StatesDepartment of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, United StatesDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, United StatesDepartment of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, United States; Corresponding author. Department of Geography, Environment & Spatial Sciences, Michigan State Unviersity, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States.Racial and ethnic minorities in economically deprived inner cities experience high rates of chronic diseases compared to neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic status (SES). However, these economically deprived populations are understudied in terms of biomarkers associated with chronic disease risk which include C-reactive protein (CRP), telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), and glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C). We examined relationships between CRP and TERT and chronic disease indicators (body mass index [BMI] and A1C) in two low-income, predominantly African American (AA) neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan. Sixty-nine adults (43 females, 26 males, mean age 46 years [y], standard deviation [SD] ​= ​15.9) completed a health survey, anthropometry, and finger stick blood tests. A1C was measured using A1CNow test strips, and CRP and TERT levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with samples extracted from dried blood spots. We examined CRP (mean ​= ​4.9, SD ​= ​3.1), TERT (mean ​= ​32.5, SD ​= ​15.1), and A1C (mean ​= ​5.4, SD ​= ​1.0) by BMI category. We fitted restricted maximum likelihood regression models to evaluate associations between CRP, TERT, BMI, and A1C, after adjustment for demographics and inclusion of a random effect for the neighborhood. In this predominantly AA sample (91%, 63/69), 68% had levels of CRP (means ​= ​4.8 ​mg/L, SD ​= ​3.0 for AAs; 6.4 ​mg/L, SD ​= ​3.9 for all others) indicative of chronic inflammation (CRP greater than 3 ​mg/L). BMI was significantly associated with CRP (p ​= ​0.004) and TERT (p ​= ​0.026). TERT levels indicate that being overweight is associated with markers of chromosome remodeling, suggestive of chronic disease. CRP followed a similar trend with overweight individuals having higher inflammation and risk of chronic disease. Our findings warrant further exploration of additional factors that may influence CRP and TERT. Furthermore, examining populations in a more ethnically and/or economically diverse, yet still high proportion minority, sample will fill a knowledge gap in this understudied field.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666337622000439Ethnic minorityInequalityChronic diseaseUrbanBiomarkers
spellingShingle David P. Ferguson
Eric C. Leszczynski
Teresa H. Horton
Karin A. Pfeiffer
Joseph Gardiner
Amber L. Pearson
C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan
Sports Medicine and Health Science
Ethnic minority
Inequality
Chronic disease
Urban
Biomarkers
title C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan
title_full C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan
title_fullStr C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan
title_full_unstemmed C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan
title_short C-reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan
title_sort c reactive protein and telomerase reverse transcriptase tert associate with chronic disease markers in a sample from low income neighborhoods in detroit michigan
topic Ethnic minority
Inequality
Chronic disease
Urban
Biomarkers
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666337622000439
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