alpha-Tocopherol supplementation decreases plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and P-selectin levels in type 2 diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
Type 2 diabetic subjects have an increased propensity to premature atherothrombosis. alpha-Tocopherol (AT), a potent antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties at high doses. The aim of the study was to test the effect of natural (RRR)-AT supplementation (1,200 IU/day) on markers of thrombosis, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) in type 2 diabetic patients with and without macrovascular complications (MVCs) compared with matched control subjects.


METHODS
The volunteers comprised type 2 diabetic patients with (n=23) and without (n=24) MVCs and matched control subjects (n=25). Plasma levels of PAI-1 and P-selectin were assayed at baseline, after 3 months of supplementation, and after a 2-month washout phase.


RESULTS
Both diabetic groups had significantly increased levels of PAI-1 compared with control subjects (P < 0.025), whereas only type 2 diabetic patients with MVCs had significantly elevated levels of sP-selectin compared with control subjects. AT supplementation significantly lowered levels of PAI-1 and sP-selectin in all three groups. The reduction in PAI-1 levels with AT supplementation was significantly greater in type 2 diabetic patients with MVCs than in those without MVCs (P=0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Thus, AT therapy decreases markers of thrombosis in diabetic patients and control subjects and could be an adjunctive therapy in the prevention of atherosclerosis.
Devaraj
Sridevi
S
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-9073, USA.
Chan
Alberto V Cabo
AV
Jialal
Ishwarlal
I
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000975:Antioxidants; D008055:Lipids; D019007:P-Selectin; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol