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Circulating monocytes in patients with diabetes mellitus, arterial disease, and increased CD14 expression
R Patiño1, J Ibarra, A Rodriguez
1Service of Internal Medicine III, Hospital Clìnico Universitario de San Carlos, Medicina III, Madrid, Spain.
Insights
Patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and arterial disease show increased monocyte mCD14 expression, linked to inflammation and lower HDL cholesterol. This may contribute to atherosclerosis development.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolic Disorders
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is often associated with cardiovascular disease and altered lipid profiles, including low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
- Circulating monocyte phenotypes can change in conditions like NIDDM and cardiovascular disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if circulating monocyte phenotype changes occur in patients with NIDDM and arterial disease.
- To explore the relationship between monocyte phenotype, inflammation markers, and HDL cholesterol levels in NIDDM patients.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of monocyte subpopulations (CD14+/CD16+) and mCD14 intensity expression in NIDDM patients with and without cardiovascular disease, and healthy controls.
- Measurement of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and HDL cholesterol levels.
- Correlation analysis between mCD14 expression, HDL cholesterol, and CRP levels.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in CD14+/CD16+ monocyte subpopulation numbers were found between groups.
- A graded increase in monocyte mCD14 intensity expression was observed, highest in NIDDM patients with arterial disease and lowest in controls.
- Increased mCD14 intensity expression correlated inversely with HDL cholesterol and directly with CRP levels.
Conclusions:
- Increased mCD14 intensity expression on circulating monocytes may signify an heightened inflammatory state in NIDDM patients with arterial disease.
- This monocyte phenotype alteration could be a contributing factor to atherogenesis in this patient population.
Abstract:
Low serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and elevated levels of acute-phase reactans are frequently found in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and cardiovascular disease. Changes in the phenotype of circulating monocytes have been reported with both of these circumstances in nondiabetic subjects. In the present study, we explored the possibility that similar changes may occur in circulating monocytes of patients with NIDDM and arterial disease. Two groups of subjects with NIDDM were studied: patients with cardiovascular disease (n = 25) were compared with a group without cardiovascular disease (n = 26); both groups were age- and sex-matched, had the same length of diabetes duration, and degree of glycemic control. Healthy nondiabetic volunteers of comparable age and sex (n = 35) formed the control group. There was no significant difference in the numbers of the CD14+/CD16+ monocyte subpopulations between the 3 groups. However, a significant graded increase of the mCD14 intensity expression values was observed among the groups, with the highest levels in patients with NIDDM patients and the lowest in nondiabetic subjects. The serum C-reactive protein concentrations were significantly higher in the group with arterial disease compared with those without arterial disease or healthy controls. In the group of patients as a whole, relative mCD14 intensity expression was significantly correlated with HDL cholesterol levels (inversely) and with serum concentrations of C-reactive protein. Serum HDL cholesterol levels and the C-reactive protein concentrations were also significantly correlated. We concluded that the increased mCD14 intensity expression on circulating monocytes may be an important contributor to the increased inflammatory response observed in patients with NIDDM and arterial disease, and eventually, to atherogenesis.