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BACKGROUND: Although diabetes confers an increased propensity toward accelerated atherogenesis, data are lacking on monocyte activity in type 2 diabetic patients with (DM2-MV) and without (DM2) macrovascular disease compared with control subjects. Thus, we tested whether (1) postsecretory modifications of LDL (glycation and oxidation), monocyte proatherogenic activity, and circulating levels of soluble cell adhesion molecules (sCAMs) are more pronounced in DM2-MV than in DM2 and control subjects and (2) RRR-alpha-tocopherol (AT) therapy, 1200 IU/d for 3 months, has a similar effect in the 3 groups (n=25 per group). METHODS AND RESULTS: Although LDL glycation was increased in both diabetic groups compared with control subjects, AT therapy had no significant effect on glycation. AT therapy significantly decreased LDL oxidizability in all 3 groups. Diabetic monocytes released significantly more superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and exhibited greater adhesion to endothelium than control subjects. AT therapy significantly decreased the release of O(2)(-), IL-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and monocyte-endothelium adhesion in all 3 groups. There was no significant difference between the 2 diabetic groups for any of the above parameters. sICAM levels were significantly elevated in both diabetic groups compared with controls. AT therapy resulted in a significant decrease in sCAMs. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first demonstration of increased IL-1beta secretion and increased adhesion of monocytes to endothelium from normotriglyceridemic diabetic subjects and of decreased monocyte activity and sCAMs with AT therapy in diabetic subjects with and without macrovasculopathy.
Devaraj et al. (Tue,) studied this question.