Urinary concentration of transforming growth factor-beta-inducible gene-h3(beta ig-h3) in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: The expression of TGF beta-inducible gene h3(beta ig-h3) has been used to assess the biological activity of TGF beta in the kidney. In this study, we investigated whether the urinary concentration of beta ig-h3 is associated with diabetic nephropathy in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. We also evaluated the relationship between the urinary concentration of beta ig-3 and proteinuria and microalbuminuria (AER) in a normal healthy population and in Type 2 diabetes patients. METHODS: Four hundred and seventy-nine Type 2 diabetic patients without non-diabetic kidney diseases and 528 healthy control subjects were enrolled. The study subjects were divided into five groups: a non-diabetic healthy control group with normal ACR (n = 443), a non-diabetic healthy control group with microalbuminuria (n = 85), a normoalbuminuric diabetic group (n = 198), a microalbuminuric diabetic group (n = 155) and an overt proteinuria group (n = 126). Urinary levels of beta ig-h3 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: (i) Urinary excretion of beta ig-h3 was significantly higher in the diabetic groups than in the controls, even in the normoalbuminuric stage (25.02 +/- 8.84 vs. 18.67 +/- 6.56, P = 0.03). In diabetic patients, urinary beta ig-h3 levels increased significantly as diabetic nephropathy advanced (25.02 +/- 8.84 vs. 34.06 +/- 24.55 vs. 169.63 +/- 57.33, P < 0.001). (ii) Proteinuria was found to be significantly correlated with urinary beta ig-h3 (healthy control; r = 0.137, P = 0.019, diabetic patients; r = 0.604, P < 0.001). ACR was also found to be significantly related with urinary beta ig-h3 in diabetic patients (r = 0.383, P = 0.006). (iii) In diabetic patients, urinary beta ig-h3 was significantly related with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (systolic blood pressure: r = 0.436, P = 0.024; diastolic blood pressure, r = 0.365, P = 0.042), total cholesterol and HbA(1c) (cholesterol: r = 0.169, P = 0.03, HbA(1c); r = 0.387, P = 0.044). Logistic regression analyses showed that urinary beta ig-h3 was associated with a significant increase in the risk of microalbuminuria and proteinuria in diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal monitoring of urinary beta ig-h3 may improve the likelihood of detecting diabetic nephropathy at an earlier stage and beta ig-h3 could be a sensitive marker of diabetic kidney disease progression.     

尿脂联素与糖尿病肾病严重程度的相关性研究

目的 探讨尿脂联素与糖尿病肾病严重程度的相关性.方法 150例糖尿病患者根据尿微量白蛋白/肌酐(ACR)分为正常白蛋白尿组(ACR＜ 30 mg/g),微量白蛋白尿组(ACR30～300 mg/g),大量白蛋白尿组(ACR＞ 300 mg/g),每组均为50例.同时选取健康体检者30名作为对照组.应用全自动生化分析仪测定空腹血糖、HbA1c、肌酐、白蛋白、甘油三酯、总胆固醇、高密度脂蛋白-胆固醇(HDL-C)、低密度脂蛋白-胆固醇(LDH-C)等生化指标.采用酶联免疫吸附法测定血、尿脂联素水平.结果 血、尿脂联素及HbA1c水平在对照组、正常白蛋白尿组、微量白蛋白尿组及大量白蛋白尿组中依次升高,差异均有统计学意义(F=62.46,65.26,5.37,P均＜0.05);血肌酐水平随尿白蛋白水平升高依次升高,微量白蛋白尿组及大量白蛋白尿组与对照组之间比较,差异有统计学意义(F=8.25,P＜0.05),微量白蛋白尿组及大量白蛋白尿组与正常白蛋白尿组之间比较无明显统计学意义(P＞0.05);估算的肾小球滤过率(eGFR)随尿白蛋白水平升高依次降低(F=54.67,P＜0.01).Pearson相关分析显示尿脂联素与血肌酐、ACR、血脂联素、HbA1c呈正相关(r=0.66,0.61,0.62,0.35,P均＜0.05),与eGFR呈负相关(r=-0.71,P＜0.01).多元逐步回归分析发现尿脂联素与血肌酐、HbA1c、ACR、eGFR及血脂联素相关(P均＜0.05).结论 尿脂联素与糖尿病肾病的严重程度呈正相关.     

尿L-FABP、KIM-1、NGAL和血清cystatin C在糖尿病肾病中的变化及意义

目的 探讨尿液肝型脂肪酸结合蛋白(L-FABP)、肾损伤分子-1(KIM-1)、中性粒细胞明胶酶相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)和血清半胱氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂(cystatin)C水平在糖尿病肾病患者中的改变以及临床意义.方法 纳入2011年10月至2012年10月泸州医学院附属医院内分泌科确诊为2型糖尿病(T2DM)的住院患者118例,根据尿微量白蛋白/肌酐比值(UACR)分为正常白蛋白尿组(n=45)、微量白蛋白尿组(n=42)以及大量白蛋白尿组(n=31).同时选择同期健康体检者41名作为正常对照组.采用ELISA法检测尿L-FABP、KIM-1和NGAL,免疫比浊法检测血清cystatin C.所有尿液检测指标经尿肌酐校正,比较各组间各标志物的变化情况及与UACR、估计的肾小球滤过率(eGFR)的相关性.结果 与正常对照组相比,糖尿病各组尿L-FABP和血清cystatin C水平明显升高,(x2=77.959,104.003,P均＜0.05);尿KIM-1水平亦明显升高(x2=29.711,P＜0.05).微量白蛋白尿组与大量白蛋白尿组尿NGAL水平较正常对照组和正常白蛋白尿组明显升高(x2=23.833,P＜0.05),但在正常白蛋白尿组与正常对照组间未见明显变化.尿L-FABP、KIM-1、NGAL及血清cystatin C与UACR呈正相关(r=0.719,0.427,0.327,0.726,P均＜0.01);仅L-FABP、血清cystatin C与eGFR呈负相关(r=-0.301、-0.791,P＜ 0.01).结论 尿L-FABP、KIM-1、NGAL和血清cystatin C在糖尿病肾病早期显著升高,其中尿L-FABP和血清cystatin C可能是反映糖尿病肾损伤较好的生物学指标.     

Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor in Japanese Type 2 diabetic patients with and without nephropathy

Aim: To determine whether plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level is elevated in Type 2 diabetic patients with an early stage of diabetic nephropathy. Methods: We studied 71 Japanese Type 2 diabetic patients with normal serum creatinine level (<100 μmol/l) (age 63.0 [60.3–65.6] years old, diabetes duration 15.6 [14.0–17.3] years, HbA1c 7.36% [7.06–7.66%], mean [95% confidence interval, CI]): normoalbuminuric patients (n=36); microalbuminuric patients (n=21); and proteinuric patients (n=14). Plasma VEGF concentration was measured by a quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. Results: Plasma VEGF concentration was not related to the degree of albuminuria: normoalbuminuric patients (25 [13–95] ng/l, median [25th–75th percentile]); microalbuminuric patients (33 [15–120] ng/l); and proteinuric patients (54 [17–107] ng/l). Plasma VEGF level in patients with retinopathy (25 [15–95] ng/l, n=30) was not elevated as compared to those without retinopathy (53 [14–126] ng/l, n=34). Plasma VEGF tended to correlated negatively with diabetes duration (R's=−.217, P=.0690) and HbA1c (R's=−.221, P=.0647), whereas there was no correlation between plasma VEGF level and age, serum creatinine or urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) of the patients, respectively. Plasma VEGF level in the group of patients with HbA1c equal to or below the median (<7.2%) was significantly higher than that in the group of patients with HbA1c above the median (>7.2%) (P<.05). Conclusions: The results suggested that Type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria and those with retinopathy are not necessarily associated with an elevation of circulating plasma VEGF concentration. Plausible association between plasma VEGF level and glycemic control remains to be seen.     

2型糖尿病患者尿液mindin水平与糖尿病肾病的相关性

目的探讨2型糖尿病（T2DM）患者尿液mindin的表达,分析其与糖尿病肾损伤的关系。方法选取2010年10月至2011年6月于广西医科大学第一附属医院代谢糖尿病中心及内分泌科住院的T2DM患者124例为病例组,选取同期年龄、性别匹配的健康体检者30名作为对照组。根据24h尿白蛋白定量（24h-UAE）将T2DM患者分为3组,即24h—UAE〈30mg的正常蛋白尿组60例,30mg≤24h-UAE〈300mg的微量蛋白尿组32例,24h-UAE≥300mg的大量蛋白尿组32例。应用ELISA法测定尿液mindin的水平,常规方法测定血、尿肌酐、血尿素氮、胱抑素C、空腹及餐后血糖、糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）、C-肽等临床指标,并估算肾小球滤过率（eGFR）。组间比较采用单因素方差分析及q检验,指标间的相关分析采用Spearman相关分析及偏相关分析。结果T2DM患者尿mindin含量高于对照组f正常蛋白尿组、微量蛋白尿组、大量蛋白尿组、对照组分别为161（119～255）、332（181—445）、426（230—937）和93（51—121）ng·ml^-1·μmol^-1·L^-1,F=30．196,P〈0．05],并与24h-UAE呈正相关（r=0．453,P〈0．05）,T2DM患者各组mindin水平随24h-UAE的升高而递增;相关分析显示尿mindin与尿素氮、血肌酐、胱抑素C、血糖、24h-UAE、病程呈正相关（r=0．426、0．2336、0．383,0344、0．453、0．511,均P〈0．05）,而与eGFR呈负相关（r=-0．383,P〈0．05）;结果显示尿液mindin（OR=1．481,95％CI：1.187—1．847）、空腹血糖（OR=0．842,95％CI：0．756～0．939）、舒张压（OR=1．051,95％CI：1．003～1．101）是T2DM患者肾损伤的危险因素。结论尿液mindin可反映糖尿病肾病早期肾功能损伤并与肾功能损伤的程度相关,尿液mindin的检测对糖尿病肾病患者早期诊断、病情观察、疗效判断方面具有较好的临床应用前景。     

2型糖尿病患者尿白蛋白排泄率与补体C5a的关系

目的探讨2型糖尿病患者血、尿补体活化片段C5a含量的变化与糖尿病肾病的关系。方法选2型糖尿病患者39例,健康体检者21名作为对照,检测血、尿C5a浓度以及血高敏C反应蛋白,测定尿白蛋白排泄率以及血糖控制情况,分析其关系。结果与对照组比较,2型糖尿病患者尿C5a浓度升高（11．4±21．1vs76．3±144．4,P〈0．05）,血C5a无明显变化,尿C5a与尿白蛋白排泄率正相关（r=0．378,P〈0．05）,糖尿病病程、尿C5a是尿白蛋白排泄率的独立预测因素。结论补体活化可能与糖尿病肾病的发生有关。     

Activation of transforming growth factor-beta1 in diabetic kidney disease

Recent data have suggested that certain growth factors and cytokines are involved in the development of diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether circulating transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) are associated with diabetic kidney disease. Serum levels of active and total TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha were measured in type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy (n = 23) or without (n = 35) and normoglycemic controls (n = 12). Serum levels of circulating active TGF-beta1 were significantly higher in patients with diabetic nephropathy (0.43 +/- 0.06 ng x mL(-1)) compared with diabetic patients without renal involvement (0.23 +/- 0.03 ng x mL(-1), P = .002) and healthy controls (0.24 +/- 0.03 ng x mL(-1), P= .001), whereas the levels of total (active + latent) TGF-beta1 were not different between the subgroups. Active TGF-beta1 concentrations were correlated with urinary albumin excretion (r = .49, P < .003) and serum creatinine (r= .55, P < .01). Sera from patients with type 2 diabetes contained significantly more TNF-alpha than sera from normoglycemic controls (3.07 +/- 0.24 v 1.65 +/- 0.20 pg x mL(-1), P = .001). However, the comparison of serum TNF-alpha concentrations between microalbuminuric and normoalbuminuric diabetic patients showed no significant difference (3.21 +/- 0.28 v 2.97 +/- 0.34 pg x mL(-1), P = .12). In conclusion, type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy exhibit increased activation of TGF-beta1, in serum, suggesting an association between circulating TGF-beta1 activity and the development of renal disease.     

Possible relationship between adiponectin and renal tubular injury in diabetic nephropathy

Adiponectin is an adipose-derived protein which has anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties in addition to insulin-sensitizing effects. To date, the role of adiponectin in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between adiponectin and renal tubular injury in diabetic nephropathy. We determined serum and urinary adiponectin levels in type 2 diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria (n = 19), microalbuminuria (n = 18), and overt diabetic nephropathy (n = 16), and then analyzed the correlations between serum and urinary adiponectin, urinary N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) as a clinical marker of renal tubular injury, urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) as an inflammatory marker in renal tubulointerstitium, and clinical markers of renal disease. Notably, serum and urinary adiponectin levels were significantly increased in patients with overt diabetic nephropathy compared to those with normoalbuminuria and microalbuminuria. In univariate linear regression analysis, serum adiponectin levels were positively correlated with serum creatinine (r = 0.648, P<0.0001), urinary albumin (r = 0.583, P<0.0001), urinary NAG (r = 0.406, P<0.01), urinary MCP-1 (r = 0.514, P<0.0001), and urinary adiponectin (r = 0.691, P<0.0001) levels in all diabetic patients. Urinary adiponectin levels were also positively correlated with serum creatinine (r = 0.729, P<0.0001), urinary albumin (r = 0.799, P<0.0001), urinary NAG (r = 0.701, P<0.0001), and urinary MCP-1 (r = 0.801, P<0.0001) levels in all diabetic patients. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum creatinine and urinary adiponectin levels were independently associated with serum adiponectin levels (r(2) = 0.522), and that serum creatinine, urinary NAG, urinary MCP-1, and serum adiponectin levels were independent determinants of urinary adiponectin levels (r(2) = 0.851). These results collectively indicate that renal insufficiency and tubular injury possibly play a contributory role in increases in serum and urinary adiponectin levels in overt diabetic nephropathy. We presume that an increase in circulating adiponectin in overt diabetic nephropathy might be a physiological response to mitigate renal tubular injury and to prevent the further progression of diabetic nephropathy through its anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects.     

Kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1): an early biomarker for nephropathy in type II diabetic patients

Renal damage is a serious major microvascular diabetic complication implicated in the death of diabetic patients, which would necessitate the need for new biomarkers to detect early stage of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1), a type I transmembrane protein, is undetectable in normal kidneys but markedly induced in proximal tubules after ischemic and toxic injury. So, the present study was conducted to estimate and evaluate Kim-1 as a biomarker for DN. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 60 male and female type II diabetic patients (whose serum creatinine level was less than 2 mg/dL). Diabetic patients were classified as microalbuminuric with nephropathy (urinary albumin was 30–300 mg/dL) and normoalbuminuric without nephropathy (urinary albumin was <30 mg/dL). Twenty matched apparently healthy subjects were included as control group. Patients and controls were assessed for fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), microalbuminuria, and urinary Kim-1. Urinary Kim-1 levels were elevated significantly tenfold in type II diabetic microalbuminuric patients as compared to the control group and normoalbuminuric diabetic patient. Urinary Kim-1 levels were positively correlated with microalbuminuria, serum creatinine, BUN, duration of diabetes, and BMI. Higher urinary Kim-1 level in T2D particularly in those with nephropathy and its correlation with urinary microalbumin, serum creatinine, blood urea, and BUN may reflect the role of Kim-1 as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of diabetic nephropathy among T2D patients taking into account other risk factors.

     

多项检测指标在2 型糖尿病早期肾损伤中的诊断价值

目的 分析尿白蛋白/ 肌酐比值(ACR)、尿α1-微球蛋白(α1-MG)、尿β2-微球蛋白(β2-MG)和血清胱抑素C(CysC)在2 型糖尿病早期肾损害中的诊断价值。方法 选取2019 年5 月至2020 年1 月芜湖市中医医院收治的2 型糖尿病患者108 例,根据尿蛋白排出率(UAER)将患者分为单纯糖尿病组(UAER <30 mg/ 24 h)68 例和糖尿病肾病组(30 mg/ 24 h≤UAER<300 mg/ 24 h)40 例。并选取同期健康体检者30 例为健康对照组。观察各组尿ACR、尿α1-MG、尿β2-MG 和血清CysC 水平并进行统计学比较。绘制受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线预测各指标对早期糖尿病肾损伤的曲线下面积(AUC),并计算各指标的敏感度和特异度。结果 糖尿病肾病组和单纯糖尿病组的尿ACR、尿α1-MG、尿β2-MG 和血清CysC 水平明显高于健康对照组(P 均<0. 05)。糖尿病肾病组的尿ACR、尿α1-MG、尿β2-MG 和血清CysC 水平明显高于单纯糖尿病组(P 均<0. 05)。尿ACR、尿α1-MG、尿β2-MG 和血清CysC的曲线下面积分别为0. 923、0. 851、0. 755 和0. 702,敏感度分别为84. 4%、75. 0%、71. 9%和62. 5%,特异度分别为96. 4%、85. 5%、81. 8%和67. 3%。结论 尿ACR、尿α1-MG、尿β2-MG 和血清CysC 在糖尿病早期肾损伤的进程中有着重要的作用,其测定有助于糖尿病肾病的早期诊断,为临床诊治提供可靠的依据。     

Increased leptin concentrations and lack of gender difference in Type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy

Leptin plays an important role in the regulation of body weight and energy balance. Women have higher circulating leptin level than men. In this study, we examined serum leptin concentrations in Type 2 diabetic men and women with or without nephropathy. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), lipid profile, and serum leptin concentrations were measured in 34 Type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy (DMN), 12 normoalbuminuric Type 2 diabetic subjects (DM) and 34 non-diabetic control subjects, all matched for age and body mass index (BMI). RESULT: Patients with diabetic nephropathy had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher triglyceride, FPG, urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) and serum creatinine than the other two groups. There was a significant trend in serum leptin concentrations (P<0.001, analysis of variance ANOVA) across the three groups with the main difference being detected between DMN and control subjects (DMN: 17.5 +/- 16.8 ng/ml, DM: 14.6 +/- 10.5 ng/ml and control: 9.1 +/- 7.1 ng/ml). Women had higher serum leptin concentration than men in the control group (12.5 +/- 7.3 ng/ml versus 4.2 +/- 2.0 ng/ml, P=0.001) and in the DM group (18.9 +/- 11 ng/ml versus 8.6 +/- 5.9 ng/ml, P=0.07) whereas this gender difference was not observed in the DMN group (18.6 +/- 17.0 ng/ml versus 16.8 +/- 17.0 ng/ml, P=0.754). On multivariate analysis, ACR (=0.411, P<0.001) and BMI (=0.240, P=0.002) were independently associated with serum leptin concentrations (R2=0.194, F=22.1, P<0.001) in the whole group. In the DMN group, ACR (=0.370, P=0.016) was the only independent determinant of serum leptin concentrations (R2=0.159, F=11.4, P=0.016). Serum leptin concentrations were higher in Type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy than normoalbuminuric diabetic patients and controls. Diabetic men with nephropathy had proportionally higher serum leptin such that the gender difference in leptin observed in non-nephropathic individuals was abolished.     

Urinary excretion of apolipoprotein(a) fragments in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients

High levels of plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] represent an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity; however, Lp(a) has not yet been identified as a risk factor for type 1 diabetic patients. Results from the limited number of available studies on plasma Lp(a) levels in relation to renal function in type 1 diabetes mellitus are inconclusive. We hypothesized that only type 1 diabetes mellitus patients with impaired renal function show increased plasma Lp(a) levels, due to decreased urinary apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] excretion. We therefore measured urinary apo(a) levels in 52 type 1 diabetes mellitus patients and 52 matched controls, and related the urinary apo(a) concentration to the plasma Lp(a) level, kidney function, and metabolic control. Our findings indicate that patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy as evidenced by microalbuminuria (20 to 200 microg/min) exhibit significantly higher plasma Lp(a) levels (median, 15.6 mg/dL) in comparison to normoalbuminuric patients (median, 10.3 mg/dL) and healthy controls (median, 12.0 mg/dL). Urinary apo(a) normalized to creatinine excretion was significantly elevated in both normoalbuminuric (median, 22.3 microg/dL) and microalbuminuric type 1 diabetic patients (median, 29.1 microg/dL) compared with healthy subjects (median, 16.0 microg/dL) and correlated significantly with Lp(a) plasma levels in both patient and control groups (P < .003). No correlation existed between the Lp(a) plasma level or urinary apo(a) concentration and metabolic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. From these studies, we conclude that urinary apo(a) excretion is significantly increased in type 1 diabetic patients and correlates with plasma Lp(a) levels, and only type 1 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria have higher plasma levels of Lp(a) compared with patients with normoalbuminuria and healthy controls.     

Increased secretion of TGF-beta1 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus with diabetic nephropathy.

AIMS: To study transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Type 1 diabetic patients with and without nephropathy. METHODS: Thirty normoalbuminuric Type 1 diabetic patients (urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) < 20 microg/min), 12 microalbuminuric (AER 20-200 microg/min), 10 nephropathic (AER > 200 microg/min), and 13 non-diabetic individuals were recruited. TGF-beta1 secretion by PBMC was measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) after 48 h culture with and without phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) (5 microg/ml). RESULTS: After 48 h culture, the highest TGF-beta1 levels secreted by unstimulated PBMC were found in patients with nephropathy (median 6.2 (range 0.9-20.0) ng/ml) when compared to patients with normal albumin excretion (4.1 (0.2-11.3) ng/ml), microalbuminuria (1.8 (0.2-6.4) ng/ml) and healthy controls (1.0 (0.2-7.0) ng/ml); P = 0.02 for the three diabetic groups and P = 0.006 for all groups. At 48 h, the PHA-stimulated TGF-beta1 levels were 12.4 (2.9-30.0) ng/ml in nephropathic, 7.3 (0.5-21.2) ng/ml in normoalbuminuric, and 5.5 (0.5-27.6) ng/ml in microalbuminuric patients (P = 0.05). A correlation was observed between TGF-beta1 and diastolic blood pressure in the subgroup of patients with incipient and overt nephropathy (r = 0.45, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Type 1 diabetic patients with overt nephropathy show increased TGF-beta1 secretion by PBMC. Diastolic blood pressure levels correlated with TGF-beta1 secretion in diabetic patients with nephropathy. Increased TGF-beta1 secretion by PBMC may be associated with renal and vascular disease in Type 1 diabetes mellitus.     

Adiponectin concentrations are influenced by renal function and diabetes duration in Pima Indians with type 2 diabetes

Adiponectin is produced exclusively by adipocytes, and its serum concentration is inversely associated with adiposity. This study examines the relationship among diabetes, renal function, and serum adiponectin in Pima Indians. Serum adiponectin was measured in 1069 people in whom glycemia and renal function had been measured. Serum adiponectin, adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, was lowest in those with impaired glucose regulation or diabetes of less than 10 yr duration and highest in those with normal glucose tolerance or diabetes of duration of at least 10 yr. Both urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and serum creatinine were positively correlated with adiponectin (Spearman's r = 0.43; P < 0.0001, and r = 0.37; P < 0.0001, respectively) in diabetic subjects. After stratification by albuminuria (normoalbuminuria ACR < 30 mg/g, microalbuminuria ACR = 30-299 mg/g, and macroalbuminuria ACR >or= 300 mg/g), the highest adiponectin concentration was in the macroalbuminuria group (geometric mean = 9.6 microg/ml) and the lowest was in the normoalbuminuric group (geometric mean = 5.6 microg/ml). After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and diabetes duration, the serum adiponectin concentration in the macroalbuminuria group was significantly higher than in both other groups (P < 0.0001). Serum adiponectin is lowest in the presence of impaired glucose regulation and early diabetes. In the presence of diabetes, serum adiponectin is positively associated with abnormal renal function and diabetes duration.     

Urinary cystatin C as a biomarker of early renal dysfunction in type 2 diabetic patients

AimsWe aimed to evaluate urinary CysC (cystanin c) as an early marker of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes and investigate the correlation of urinary CysC with albuminuria and GFR.MethodologyThis case-controlled study was conducted on 66 type 2 diabetic patients who were classified according to albuminuria into 3 groups and consisting of 20 healthy subjects as the control group. We assessed urinary CysC, urinary albumin excretion rate (UACR).ResultsUrinary CysC levels were significantly higher in normoalbuminuric diabetic compared with healthy control and there was a progressive linear increase in urinary CysC levels with increasing albuminuria in the diabetic patients. Despite insignificant deference in creatinine between participants groups, we observed significant differences between these groups as regard eGFR, urinary CysC, and UACR. Urinary CysC did not have significant correlations with any clinical or biochemical parameters. Moreover, urinary CysC had a statistically significant association with albuminuria and eGFR.ConclusionUrinary CysC levels correlated with UACR and GFR. It is linked to subclinical tubular injury and can be an earlier marker of kidney involvement, even before albuminuria and it is less influenced by non-renal factors. Therefore, Urinary CysC is useful biomarker for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in children, adolescents and young adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus: relation to glycaemic control and microvascular complications.

AIMS: To evaluate serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a large group of children, adolescents and young adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus to investigate whether increased VEGF concentrations are associated with long-term glycaemic control and microvascular complications. METHODS: The study involved 196 patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (age range 2-24 years, onset of diabetes before the age of 12 years, duration of disease longer than 2 years), without clinical and laboratory signs of microvascular complications; they were divided into three groups (group 1 - n = 37, age < 6 years; group 2 - n = 71, age 6-12 years; group 3 - n = 88, age > 12 years). Fifty-three adolescents and young adults (age 16.1-29.7) with different grades of diabetic retinopathy and microalbuminuria were also selected (group 4). A total of 223 healthy controls were matched for age and sex with each group of patients with diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: VEGF serum levels were significantly increased in pre-school and pre-pubertal children with diabetes as well as in pubertal patients compared to controls. VEGF concentrations were markedly increased in adolescents and young adults with microvascular complications compared with both healthy controls and diabetic patients without retinopathy or nephropathy. Multivariate analysis showed that elevation of VEGF in serum was an independent correlate of complications. One-year mean HbA1c values were significantly correlated with VEGF concentrations (r = 0.372; P < 0.01). Children with HbA1c levels greater than 10% had significantly higher VEGF concentrations when compared with matched patients whose HbA1c levels were lower than 10%. In poorly controlled diabetic children (HbA1c > 10%), long-term (2 years) improvement of glycaemic control (aiming at HbA1c < 7%) resulted in a significant reduction of VEGF levels. CONCLUSIONS: VEGF serum concentrations are increased in prepubertal and pubertal children with diabetes. Glycaemic control influences VEGF serum levels. Severity of microvascular complications is associated with marked increase of VEGF concentrations in the serum of these patients.     

Combination therapy with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and the calcium channel blocker azelnidipine decreases plasma inflammatory markers and urinary oxidative stress markers in patients with diabetic nephropathy

A calcium channel blocker (CCB), azelnidipine (AZ), is reported to inhibit oxidative stresses, particularly when administered under blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether AZ inhibits oxidative stresses more potently than other CCBs under blockade of RAS and exerts renoprotection in type 2 diabetic nephropathy. Subjects were hypertensive type 2 diabetics with nephropathy, taking RAS inhibitors. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups, an AZ group (n=21, 16 mg/d) and a nifedipine-CR (NF) group (n=17, 40 mg/d). The plasma levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF(alpha)), the urinary excretion of 8-epi-prostaglandin F(2alpha) (8-epi-PGF(2alpha)) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios (ACR) were determined before and after 16-week treatment. Neither metabolic parameters nor blood pressure levels differed between the two groups not only at baseline but also after the treatment. However, significant decreases in MCP-1, IL-6, hsCRP, TNF(alpha), 8-epi-PGF(2alpha), 8-OHdG and ACR levels, and a significant increase in the plasma adiponectin level were detected in the AZ group, but not in the NF group. The % change in the urinary oxidative stress markers correlated with that in ACR. Our results indicate that, in hypertensive patients with diabetic nephropathy, a combination therapy of RAS inhibitors and AZ is an effective therapeutic modality for decreasing not only blood pressure but also inflammations and oxidative stresses.     

Plasma concentrations of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 are elevated in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus with microalbuminuria and overt nephropathy.

AIMS: Elevated urinary albumin excretion is associated with macrovascular atherosclerotic complications in Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Adhesion molecules mediate leucocyte adhesion to the endothelium early in the atherosclerotic process. The present study tests the hypothesis that microalbuminuria and diabetic nephropathy are associated with elevated plasma concentrations of soluble vascular adhesion molecule (sVCAM)-1, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM)-1, and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) aiming to illustrate factors of potential pathogenetic relevance for the excess cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients with renal complications. METHODS: Soluble adhesion molecule concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in healthy controls (n = 16) and in 59 Type 1 diabetic patients: group 1-patients with normoalbuminuria (n = 16); group 2-patients with microalbuminuria (n = 15); group 3-patients with macroalbuminuria and normal serum creatinine (n = 15), group 4-patients with macroalbuminuria and moderately elevated serum creatinine (n = 13). RESULTS: Plasma concentrations of sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 were similar in healthy controls and normoalbuminuric Type 1 diabetic patients, but the concentrations were increased by the presence of microalbuminuria and overt nephropathy (P < 0.001 and P < 0.0001, ANOVA). Concentrations of sE-selectin did not differ between diabetic patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma concentration of sICAM-1 is elevated in Type 1 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria and the concentrations of sICAM-1 as well as sVCAM-1 are elevated in patients with macroalbuminuria and normal s-creatinine. The elevated plasma concentrations of these soluble adhesion molecule concentrations in patients with renal complication can be of pathogenetic importance for the development of atherosclerosis and plasma soluble adhesion molecule concentrations may provide additional information on cardiovascular risk.     

URINARY EXCRETION OF HUMAN EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR IN THE VARIOUS STAGES OF DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a polypeptide mitogen first isolated from mouse submaxillary glands and later from human urine. We have examined the pattern of urinary excretion of human EGF (hEGF) in normal subjects and in diabetic patients with varying degrees of nephropathy. hEGF was measured by homologous radioimmunoassay and expressed in terms of urinary creatinine excretion. On the basis of their albumin excretion rate, the diabetic patients were divided into those with normoalbuminuria (albumin excretion rate 3.5 (1.4-9.8) micrograms/min; mean (range)), microalbuminuria (albumin excretion rate 75 (30-128) micrograms/min) and macroalbuminuria (289 (169-879) micrograms/min). The albumin excretion rate for the normal subjects was 3.7 (1.6-9.7) micrograms/min. The mean (range) hEGF excretion (nmol hEGF/mmol creatinine) was 0.69 (0.47-1.29) for 19 healthy subjects, 0.60 (0.16-1.36) for the normoalbuminuric group (n = 18; NS), 0.47 (0.10-0.83) for the microalbuminuric patients (n = 19; P less than 0.001 vs controls and normoalbuminuric diabetics) and 0.38 (0.10-0.63) for the macroalbuminuric group (n = 18; P less than 0.001 vs controls and normoalbuminuric diabetics). There was an inverse correlation between albumin excretion rate and hEGF: creatinine ratio (r = -0.49; P = 0.02). These results show a progressive decline in hEGF excretion in diabetic patients with varying degrees of nephropathy and do not support the hypothesis that increased kidney size seen in early nephropathy is due to excessive amounts of EGF in the urine.