title: Glycosylated low density lipoprotein is more sensitive to oxidation: implications for the diabetic patient?
abstract: Oxidised low density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered to be atherogenic. This study examined the relationship between glycosylation and oxidation of LDL from 10 normocholesterolaemic Type 2 diabetic patients, 10 hypercholesterolaemic Type 2 diabetic patients, and 10 normocholesterolaemic non-diabetic subjects. LDL was isolated by sequential ultracentrifugation and susceptibility to oxidation assessed by measuring thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) during a 4-h oxidation period. LDL glycosylation was measured by aminophenylborate gel chromatography. Results demonstrated an increased susceptibility to oxidation in LDL from both diabetic groups, the mean 3-h TBARS values being 35.2 +/- 2.1 and 36.4 +/- 2.6 nmol MDA/mg LDL protein for normocholesterolaemic and hypercholesterolaemic diabetic patients compared with 24.5 +/- 2.5 nmol MDA/mg LDL protein for control subjects. LDL glycosylation of 2.20% +/- 0.11% and 2.89% +/- 0.46% for normocholesterolaemic and hypercholesterolaemic diabetic LDL was significantly higher than that for the non-diabetic control subjects of 1.60% +/- 0.12% (P < 0.02). There was a significant positive correlation (P < 0.005) between LDL glycosylation and LDL oxidation. The esterified/free cholesterol ratio which correlated positively with oxidation (P < 0.01) was significantly higher in LDL from both diabetic groups compared with LDL from control subjects (P < 0.01). Thus the increased incidence of atherosclerosis in diabetes may be related to glycosylation of LDL through its increased susceptibility to oxidation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bowie
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Tomkin
mesh_terms: D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002784:Cholesterol