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Oxidative Protein Damage Is Associated With Elevated Serum Interleukin-6 Levels Among Older Moderately to Severely Disabled Women Living in the Community

¹ Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.
² Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland.
³ Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry Branch, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Maryland.

Address correspondence to Richard Semba, MD, 550 N. Broadway, Suite 700, Baltimore, MD 21205. E-mail: rdsemba{at}jhmi.edu

Background. Elevated interleukin (IL)-6 is associated with adverse outcomes. Our objective was to determine whether serum protein carbonyls, an indicator of oxidative protein damage and oxidative stress, were associated with IL-6.

Methods. Serum protein carbonyls and IL-6 were measured in 739 women, age 65 years, in the Women's Health and Aging Study I.

Results. Geometric mean of protein carbonyls was 0.082 nmol/mg. After adjusting for age and smoking status, log_e serum protein carbonyls were associated with log_e IL-6 (β = 0.143, standard error [SE] = 0.048, p =.003) in linear regression analyses and with elevated IL-6 (2.5 pg/mL) (odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.86, p =.037) in logistic regression analyses.

Conclusion. Oxidative damage to proteins is independently associated with serum IL-6 among older women living in the community. Increased oxidative stress may be a factor involved in the pathogenesis of the proinflammatory state that occurs in older adults.

Key Words: Inflammation • Interleukin-6 • Oxidative stress • Protein carbonyls

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