title: Association between mannose-binding lectin and vascular complications in type 1 diabetes.
abstract: Complement activation and inflammation have been suggested in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular lesions. We investigated serum mannose-binding lectin (MBL) levels and polymorphisms in the MBL gene in type 1 diabetic patients with and without diabetic nephropathy and associated macrovascular complications. Polymorphisms in the MBL gene and serum MBL levels were determined in 199 type 1 diabetic patients with overt nephropathy and 192 type 1 diabetic patients with persistent normoalbuminuria matched for age, sex, and duration of diabetes, as well as in 100 healthy control subjects. The frequencies of high- and low-expression MBL genotypes were similar in patients with type 1 diabetic and healthy control subjects. High MBL genotypes were significantly more frequent in diabetic patients with nephropathy than in the normoalbuminuric group, and the risk of having nephropathy given a high MBL genotype assessed by odds ratio (OR) was 1.52 (1.02-2.27, P = 0.04). Median serum MBL concentrations were significantly higher in patients with nephropathy than in patients with normoalbuminuria: 2,306 microg/l (interquartile range [IQR] 753-4,867 microg/l) vs. 1,491 microg/l (577-2,944 microg/l), P = 0.0003. In addition, even when comparing patients with identical genotypes, serum MBL levels were higher in the nephropathy group than in the normoalbuminuric group. Patients with a history of cardiovascular disease had significantly elevated MBL levels independent of nephropathy status (3,178 microg/l [IQR 636-5,231 microg/l] vs. 1,741 microg/l [656-3,149 microg/l], P = 0.02). The differences in MBL levels between patients with and without vascular complications were driven primarily by pronounced differences among carriers of high MBL genotypes (P < 0.0001). Our findings suggest that MBL may be involved in the pathogenesis of micro- and macrovascular complications in type 1 diabetes, and that determination of MBL status might be used to identify patients at increased risk of developing these complications.
authors.affiliation: Immunoendocrine Research Unit, Medical Department M (Endocrinology & Diabetes), Aarhus University Hospital, Norrebrogade 42-44, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. tkh@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Troels K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tarnow
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steffensen
authors.forename: Coen D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Stehouwer
authors.forename: Casper G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Schalkwijk
authors.forename: Hans-Henrik
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Parving
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flyvbjerg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D012709:Serum Albumin