Gender, race/ethnicity, personality, and interleukin-6 in urban primary care patients

Abstract

Gender, race/ethnicity, and personality are markers of significant psychosocial and biological variability. Each may have implications for allostatic load and resulting inflammatory processes, yet findings have been largely mixed. We investigated whether women, minorities, and those higher in Neuroticism and lower in Extraversion were at risk for elevated circulating levels of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 in a sample of 103 middle aged and older urban primary care patients. Regression analyses controlling for age, education, current depression levels, and chronic medical conditions revealed that women, minorities, and individuals lower in Extraversion had higher circulating levels of IL-6. Analyses of more specific personality traits revealed that the sociability and positive emotions components of Extraversion were unassociated with IL-6, but the activity facet--reflecting dispositional vigor and energy--was robustly associated with IL-6. The difference between high (+1 Standard Deviation (SD)) and low (−1 SD) trait activity was sufficient to shift IL-6 levels beyond a previously established high risk cut-point in both white and minority women. These findings suggest that while broad group differences between genders and races/ ethnicities exist, personality represents an important source of individual differences in inflammation within groups. Future work should examine to what extent IL-6 levels are linked to temperament or genetic activity levels vs. physical activity itself, and whether IL-6 levels may be reduced by boosting regular activity levels in demographic segments such as women and minorities who appear susceptible to greater inflammation.

Absence of insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation despite early metabolic syndrome manifestations in children born after in vitro fertilization

“…The only significant difference observed in singleton, pubertal boys was a higher level of hsIL-6 and hsCRP in IVF than in controls. This might reveal an early effect of puberty on low-grade inflammation, as a gender dimorphism exists in the levels of CRP and IL-6, which was also reflected in our population (28,29).…”

Sex Differences in Depressive and Socioemotional Responses to an Inflammatory Challenge: Implications for Sex Differences in Depression

“…Although some work has shown that females show heightened proinflammatory activity (Chapman et al, 2009;O'Connor et al, 2007), the literature is equivocal. Indeed, some have suggested that sex differences in inflammatory markers may be due to differences in adiposity (Cartier et al, 2009).…”

“…Indeed, females' greater exposure and reactivity to interpersonal stressors has been shown to contribute to the sex difference in depression (Cyranowski et al, 2000;Hankin and Abramson, 2001;Hyde et al, 2008;Nolen-Hoeksema and Girgus, 1994). Importantly, there are also well-established sex differences in inflammatory processes, such that females are two to nine times more likely to develop autoimmune disorders (Whitacre, 2001), and females show heightened proinflammatory activity (Chapman et al, 2009;O'Connor et al, 2007). However, it is not known whether these sex differences in affiliative preferences or inflammatory activity have a role in inflammatory-related depressive symptoms.…”

Polimorfismos genéticos de interleuquina 6 (IL6), IL6R e IL18: asociación con componentes del síndrome metabólico en niños chilenos con obesidad

“…En adolescentes españoles (edad promedio 14,5 años; IMC Z-score promedio 1,05), el polimorfismo rs1800795 de IL6, aunque no se asocia directamente con ningún componente del SM, tiene influencia sobre la relación porcentaje de grasa corporal-glicemia en ayunas 54 . Esto refleja la presencia de otros factores como el género y el origen étnico, que se ha demostrado que son las principales variables que influencian los niveles de IL6 55 . En dicho reporte, las mujeres presentaron mayores niveles de esta interleuquina que los varones, diferencia que los autores atribuyen al efecto de las hormonas sexuales.…”

“…Respecto al origen étnico, los afroamericanos muestran mayores niveles circulantes de IL6 que los caucásicos 55 . En este contexto, y de acuerdo al origen propuesto de la población chilena contemporánea 56 , las frecuencias del alelo menor de los polimorfismos de IL6 en nuestra muestra se acercan más a los valores descritos para amerindios que para caucásicos (0,22, 0,29 y 0,18 para rs1800795, rs1800796 rs1800797, respectivamente).…”