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Published on: March 23, 2018
Detection of free antielastin antibodies among diabetic children
George Nicoloff1, Alexander Blazhev, Chaika Petrova
1Departments of Biology and Pathological Physiology, University School of Medicine, Pleven, Bulgaria. nicoloff_bg@yahoo.com
Insights
Elevated free antielastin antibodies (AEAbs) are linked to vascular complications in diabetic children. Higher AEAb levels correlate with increased blood pressure and adverse lipid profiles in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Circulating immune complexes (CICs) form due to antibodies to elastin breakdown products (AEAbs) and their antigens.
- Previous studies show AEAbs are present in all humans and correlate with serum peptide levels.
- The role of free AEAbs in diabetic vascular complications is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between serum levels of free antielastin antibodies (AEAbs) and vascular complications in diabetic children.
- To compare free AEAb levels in diabetic children with and without vascular complications against healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples from 54 diabetic children and 20 healthy controls were analyzed.
- A combination of complement inhibition factor (CIF)-ELISA and AEAb-ELISA was used to detect free immunoglobulin G (IgG) AEAbs.
- Correlation analysis was performed between free AEAb levels and various clinical parameters, including blood pressure, lipids, and microalbuminuria.
Main Results:
- Diabetic children exhibited significantly higher levels of free AEAbs compared to healthy controls (p = .02).
- Children with vascular complications showed higher free AEAb levels than those without complications and controls (p = .016).
- Free AEAb levels in diabetics correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, serum fructose, and microalbuminuria.
Conclusions:
- Elevated serum levels of free IgG AEAbs are associated with the presence of vascular complications in diabetic children.
- Free AEAbs may play a role in the pathogenesis of vascular complications in pediatric diabetes.
- Further research is warranted to explore the therapeutic implications of targeting AEAbs in diabetic vascular disease.
Abstract:
Antibodies to elastin breakdown products are found in the serum of all human subjects and correlate with their respective serum peptide levels. The presence of these antielastin antibodies (AEAbs) and the corresponding antigens in circulation leads to the formation of circulating immune complexes (CICs). The aim of this study was to determine if the serum levels of free AEAbs (not bound in CICs) correlate with the development of vascular complications in diabetic children. To this end, we used a method for detecting immune complexes (complement inhibition factor [CIF]-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) in combination with an ELISA for detection of AEAbs. The levels of free immunoglobulin G (IgG) AEAbs were studied in the sera of 54 diabetic children (mean age 12.3+/-4 years; diabetes duration 5.2+/-3.7 years). Thirty-two of the children had vascular complications (group 1), and 22 were without vascular complications (group 2). Twenty healthy children (mean age 13.6+/-4.2 years) were used as controls. The diabetics showed statistically significant higher levels of free AEAbs (0.490 E492+/-0.244 E492 vs 0.307 E492+/-0.081 E492; p = .02) compared with the control group. In group 1, free AEAbs showed statistically significant higher levels than controls (0.523+/-0.269 vs 0.307+/-0.081; p = .016). Eighteen of 54 (33%) patients were positive for free AEAbs (13 of 32 [41%] in group 1 and 5 of 22 [22%] in group 2). Free AEAb levels in all diabetics showed a correlation with systolic blood pressure (r = .44; p = .01), diastolic blood pressure (r = .46; p = .009), total cholesterol (r = .33; p = .05), triglycerides (r= .38; p = .03), high-density lipoprotein (r= -.46; p = .009), serum fructose (r= .43; p = .001), and microalbuminuria (r= .41; p = .002). Patients who had vascular pathology showed a correlation of free AEAbs with microalbuminuria (r= .434; p= .026), serum fructose (r= .63; p = .0004), hemoglobin A1c (r= .392; p = .043), and triglycerides (r= .456; p = .025). These findings suggest that elevated levels of free IgG AEAbs are associated with the development of diabetic vascular complications in children.
