title: Association between serum values of C-reactive protein and cytokine production in whole blood of patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus accelerates atherosclerotic processes, and it is known that inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in patients with Type 2 diabetes whether serum levels of CRP (C-reactive protein) are associated with cytokine production in whole blood. A total of 89 outpatients with Type 2 diabetes were enrolled, and blood pressure, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin, cholesterol, triacylglycerols (triglycerides) and hs-CRP (high-sensitivity CRP) were measured. IL-6 (interleukin-6), IL-1beta (interleukin-1beta) and TNF-alpha (tumour necrosis factor-alpha) were measured before and after 24 h of incubation of whole blood with LPS (lipopolysaccharide) or saline. The basal values of IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were low and were not significantly related to hs-CRP levels. A univariate analysis showed that the level of IL-1beta and IL-6, obtained after 24 h of incubation of whole blood with LPS, increased significantly with increasing levels of hs-CRP and, after adjusting for potential confounders, IL-1beta still remained statistically significant. In our sample of patients with Type 2 diabetes, there was no association between serum hs-CRP levels and basal levels of IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha. Conversely, a significant association was observed between serum hs-CRP levels and IL-1beta and IL-6 production after 24 h of incubation of whole blood with LPS. In conclusion, our data suggest that patients with Type 2 diabetes and high hs-CRP levels may have an enhanced reactivity in response to specific stimuli that produce different interleukins, with possible implications in inflammatory atherosclerotic processes.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Nefrologica, Az. Ospedaliera San Gerardo, Monza, Italy. giovanna.castoldi@unimib.it
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castoldi
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Papagna
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Querci
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casati
authors.forename: Gianpaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zerbini
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caccianiga
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferrarese
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baldoni
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Valsecchi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stella
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein