Oxidizing and reducing responses of granulocytes from type 2 diabetic patients

Oxidizing/reducing response by granulocytes and a potential correlation between reactive oxygen species generation and triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, glycemic control (hemoglobin A(1c)), or duration of diabetes were examined in type 2 diabetic patients and in healthy subjects. An increase in both oxidizing and reducing responses was observed in cells from diabetic patients relative to normoglycemic individuals. The increase in oxidizing response was nearly 2-fold higher, whereas the antioxidant response increased by 50%. Although reactive oxygen species generation from healthy subjects was correlated with levels of low-density lipoprotein (positive correlation), high-density lipoprotein (negative correlation), and body mass index (positive correlation), no such associations were observed in diabetic subjects, suggesting either an intrinsic perturbation in the oxidant/antioxidant response or possibly due to the effect of the various medications being taken by these patients. These issues need further study.