Association of serum NOD-like receptor protein 3 levels with impaired fat tolerance and hypertriglyceridemia

Abstract

The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome plays a key role in lipid metabolism. We used an oral fat tolerance test (OFTT) to detect whether serum NLRP3 levels differed in people with different fat tolerances and evaluate whether NLRP3 was associated with impaired fat tolerance (IFT) and hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). We performed the OFTT using 176 volunteers. The groups were divided according to fasting and postprandial triglyceride (TG) levels: 1) normal fat tolerance (NFT) group (TG at 0 h <1.7 mmol/L and TG at any time point <2.5 mmol/L); 2) IFT group (TG at 0 h <1.7 mmol/L and TG at any time point >2.5 mmol/L); and 3) HTG group (TG at 0 h ≥1.7 mmol/L). With decreased lipid tolerance, the TG and NLRP3 levels increased gradually before a high-fat meal and at any time point after 0 h. NLRP3 levels reached a peak 2 h after meal consumption in all three groups. After adjustment for confounding indicators, logistic regression analysis revealed that fasting serum NLRP3 levels were positively associated with both IFT and HTG (for IFT, odds ratio [OR]: 1.079 [1.037–1.123], p < 0.001; for HTG, OR: 1.085 [1.049–1.123], p < 0.001). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, fasting serum NLRP3 levels were an effective biomarker for IFT and HTG diagnosis. These results indicate that the fasting serum NLRP3 is an independent risk factor for IFT and HTG, and is a valuable indicator for the early diagnosis of IFT and HTG.