Autoantibodies against oxidized LDLs and atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to examine, in type 2 diabetic patients, the relationship between autoantibodies against oxidatively modified LDL (oxLDL Ab) and two indexes of atherosclerosis, intimal-medial thickness of the common carotid artery (CCA-IMT), which reflects early atherosclerosis, and the ankle-brachial index (ABI), which reflects advanced atherosclerosis.


METHODS
Thirty newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients, 30 type 2 diabetic patients with long duration of disease, and 56 control subjects were studied. To detect oxLDL Ab, the ImmunoLisa Anti-oxLDL Antibody ELISA was used. ABI was estimated at rest by strain-gauge plethysmography. Carotid B-mode imaging was performed on a high-resolution imaging system (ATL HDI 5000).


RESULTS
In patients with long duration of disease, IgG oxLDL Ab were significantly higher and ABI significantly lower compared with the other two groups. We found a correlation between IgG oxLDL Ab and CCA-IMT in all diabetic patients. A significant inverse correlation between IgG oxLDL Ab and ABI only in patients with long duration of disease was seen, demonstrating a close relationship between these autoantibodies and advanced atherosclerosis.


CONCLUSIONS
IgG OxLDL Ab may be markers of the advanced phase of the atherosclerotic process and the response of the immunological system to the oxLDL, which are present within atherosclerotic lesions.
Piarulli
Francesco
F
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Ospedale dei Colli, Via dei Colli 4, 35100 Padova, Italy. francesco.piarulli@unipd.it
Lapolla
Annunziata
A
Sartore
Giovanni
G
Rossetti
Ciro
C
Bax
Giuseppe
G
Noale
Marianna
M
Minicuci
Nadia
N
Fiore
Cristina
C
Marchioro
Lucio
L
Manzato
Enzo
E
Fedele
Domenico
D
D017668:Age of Onset; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking; D013997:Time Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein; D002784:Cholesterol