Summary
In vitro experiments and animal models indicate that advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
may play a crucial role in the vascular dysfunctions observed in patients with diabetes
mellitus. These results prompted us to study subrogate markers of inflammation or
vascular dysfunction in type II diabetic patients. Monocyte count and activation are
dependent upon macrophage colony stimulating factors (M-CSF). Soluble vascular cell
adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1) blood levels have been proposed as a marker for endothelium
activation. To explore a possible relationship between these factors in diabetic patients,
we measured a chemically defined AGE, N(carboxymethyl)lysineprotein (CML-protein)
in a group of normal subjects (n = 55) and of diabetic patients (n = 40) using ELISA.
Simultaneously, we determined M-CSF and sVCAM-1 blood levels. We found that CML-protein
blood levels were significantly higher in patients with diabetes compared to non-diabetic
subjects (40.2 ± 4.7 and 7.9 ± 0.7 pmol/mg protein respectively, p < 0.0001). M-CSF
was increased while sVCAM-1 blood levels were normal in the group of diabetics. M-CSF
blood level was correlated to CML-protein blood level (p < 0.05). In addition CML-protein,
M-CSF and sVCAM-1 were increased in patients with microangiopathy. These results suggest
that AGE may contribute to vascular dysfunction including microangiopathy.
Keywords
Advanced glycation end products - carboxymethyl-lysine - macrophage colony stimulating
factor and adhesion molecules