No gender associated differences in LDL oxidation in response to a CuSO4 challenge in a population of Caucasians with well-controlled type 2 diabetes

It was hypothesized that there would be gender differences in low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in response to a CuSO4 challenge in the study population of well-controlled (HbA1c < 8 %) Caucasian type 2 diabetics. The purpose of this study was to assess this hypothesis. Males (n=18) and females (n = 14) participated in this study. Subjects came in for two visits 3 months apart. LDL was isolated by ultracentrifugation and exposed to 5 M CuSO4. There were no gender differences in lag time, maximal rate of propagation or maximal oxidation as measured by conjugated diene formation measured at 234 nm. It is concluded that gender does not play a role in CuSO4-induced LDL oxidation in vitro in the study population. It may be that both genders need to much more aggressively manage dietary patterns to reduce the impact of LDL oxidation in their susceptibility to atherosclerosis-induced myocardial infarction.