Vascular growth factors and the development of macrovascular disease in diabetes mellitus

The pathogenesis of macrovascular disease in diabetes mellitus is still incompletely understood. Within the various pathomechanisms abnormal growth of vascular cells is well established as an intrinsic part of the angiopathic process. In this regard, there are different groups of vascular growth factors that are of potential relevance for the development of macrovascular disease in diabetes : hormones, locally released growth factors of platelet and of arterial wall cell origin. The following hormones whose blood levels could increase under various conditions in diabetes have to be considered : growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor I and II and insulin. Human platelets contain at least eight growth peptides or proteins that all stimulate in vitro growth of arterial wall cells : platelet-derived-, epidermal-, fibroblast-, diabetic serum-, endothelial- and transforming growth factor, vascular endothelial cell proliferation factor and platelet-derived endothelial cell mitogen. In serum and plasma from type II diabetics only the diabetic serum growth factor has been shown to be increased. Platelets from type I and II diabetic patients contain increased growth stimulating activity. This increased growth activity returned to normal levels in both types of diabetes after strict metabolic control. Arterial endothelial and smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts and monocyte/macrophages of different species release at least in culture a variety of growth factors that could participate in an autocrine or paracrine manner in the growth regulation of the arterial wall. Diabetes may affect the release of these factors, but direct evidence to which degree this would contribute to the development of macrovascular disease is lacking.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)