Clinical significance of neutrophil apoptosis in peripheral blood of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Although neutrophils are essential components of the natural immune system, they have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of tissue injuries. We assessed the clinical significance of neutrophil apoptosis in the peripheral blood of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).



The study included 52 patients with T2DM (30 men, 22 women). Control subjects were 16 healthy volunteers without diabetes (7 men, 9 women). Neutrophil apoptosis levels were measured active caspase-3 positive rate by flow cytometry.



The mean rate of neutrophil apoptosis in patients with T2DM was 15.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.5% approximately 20.5%), while that in the control group was 5.8% (95% CI: 1.6% approximately 10.0%). There were significant negative correlations between neutrophil apoptosis rate and hemoglobin (Hb) A1c levels (r = -0.352, P < .01). The mean rate of neutrophil apoptosis in the patient group with the 3 major complications (diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy) was 11.1% (95% CI: 5.5%-16.7%, n = 36) and that of another group without complications was 23.8% (95% CI: 11.4%-36.2%, n = 16). There was a significant difference between these 2 groups (P < .05).



The neutrophil apoptosis rate in patients with T2DM was significantly correlated with HbA1C levels. The mean rate of neutrophil apoptosis in the patient group with 3 major diabetic complications remained lower than that in another patient group without complications. The inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis by chronic hyperglycemia is thought to promote tissue injury and to enhance the risk of microangiopathy.
Sudo
Chiaki
C
Department of Laboratory Sciences, Gunma University School of Health Sciences, Japan.
Ogawara
Hatsue
H
Saleh
Almaqoul Wedad Hamdi
AW
Nishimoto
Natsumi
N
Utsugi
Toshihiro
T
Ooyama
Yoshio
Y
Fukumura
Yukihito
Y
Murakami
Masami
M
Handa
Hiroshi
H
Tomono
Shoichi
S
Murakami
Hirokazu
H
D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000097:blood; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000097:blood; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000819:agonists; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin