Elevated plasma phospholipid transfer protein activity is a determinant of carotid intima-media thickness in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
The plasma activity of phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP), which has putative pro- and anti-atherogenic roles in lipoprotein metabolism, is increased in type 2 diabetes mellitus. We analysed the relationship between carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), an established marker of atherosclerosis, and PLTP activity in diabetic patients and control subjects.


METHODS
The IMT (mean of three segments in both carotid arteries by ultrasonography), clinical variables, plasma PLTP activity (phospholipid vesicle-HDL system), lipoproteins, C-reactive protein and insulin were measured in 87 non-smoking men and women, who had type 2 diabetes mellitus, no cardiovascular disease, and were not on insulin or lipid-lowering medication, and in 83 age-matched control subjects.


RESULTS
In diabetic patients, carotid IMT (p=0.02), pulse pressure (p=0.003), plasma PLTP activity (p<0.001), triglycerides (p=0.01), C-reactive protein (p<0.01) and insulin (p<0.001) were higher, whereas HDL cholesterol was lower (p<0.001) than in control subjects. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis demonstrated that in type 2 diabetic patients IMT was independently associated with age (p<0.001), sex (p=0.001), pulse pressure (p=0.003), plasma PLTP activity (p=0.03) and HDL cholesterol (p=0.03), but not with very low density lipoprotein+LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein and insulin (all p>0.20). The relationship between plasma PLTP activity and IMT was not significant in control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma PLTP activity is a positive determinant of IMT in type 2 diabetes mellitus, suggesting that high PLTP activity is involved in accelerated atherosclerosis in this disease.
de Vries
R
R
Department of Endocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, RB 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands. r.de.vries@int.umcg.nl
Dallinga-Thie
G M
GM
Smit
A J
AJ
Wolffenbuttel
B H R
BH
van Tol
A
A
Dullaart
R P F
RP
D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D008074:Lipoproteins; C493430:PLTP protein, human; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein