Background: The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors and essential components of metabolic syndrome are hyperglycemia, hypertension, visceral obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome components and insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of oxidative stress, C-reactive protein and heat shock protein 70 levels in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Methods: A total of 36 patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and 33 controls were included in the study. Malondialdehyde, carbonyl protein, C-reactive protein and heat shock protein 70 levels and xanthine oxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were measured in the serum of the subjects.
Results: Mean serum malondialdehyde, carbonyl protein, C-reactive protein (p<0.01, p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively) and xanthine oxidase activity were significantly higher (p<0.01) in serum of the patients than the control group. Superoxide dismutase activity and heat shock protein 70 levels were significantly lower (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively) in serum of the patients.
Conclusions: These results suggest that oxidative stress parameters and components of metabolic syndrome are closely related; therefore, significant alterations may occur in the antioxidant and inflammatory status. However, further studies are required to evaluate the possible molecular mechanisms of heat shock protein 70 levels in metabolic syndrome.