title: Correlation of circulating dehydroepiandrosterone with activated protein C generation and carotid intima-media thickness in male patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dehydroepiandrosterone exerts a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship of dehydroepiandrosterone with the anticoagulant factor activated protein C, generated by the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex on vascular endothelial cells, remains unknown. This study aimed at studying the relationship between dehydroepiandrosterone and activated protein C generation in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two male patients with Type 2 diabetes were enrolled in this study. Data obtained from 40 healthy male subjects were used as controls. The plasma levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, the activated protein C-protein C inhibitor complex, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were measured by enzyme immunoassays. Carotid intima-media thickness was measured by ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (5.15 ± 2.81 vs. 3.76 ± 2.16 ng/ml; P < 0.005) and the activated protein C-protein C inhibitor complex (1.90 ± 1.07 vs. 1.02 ± 0.51 ng/ml; P < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients with diabetes than in normal subjects. Univariate analysis showed a significant correlation of the plasma level of dehydroepiandrosterone with that of the activated protein C-protein C inhibitor complex (r = 0.48, P < 0.001), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (r = -0.30, P < 0.05) and with the mean intima-media thickness (r = -0.28, P < 0.05) in patients with diabetes. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the plasma level of dehydroepiandrosterone is significantly correlated with the plasma levels of the activated protein C-protein C inhibitor complex (F = 18.06) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (F = 4.94). There was no correlation between the plasma levels of dehydroepiandrosterone and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that lower circulating levels of dehydroepiandrosterone are associated with decreased activated protein C generation and higher intima-media thickness in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, Metabolism and Endocrinology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Mie, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasuma
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maruyama-Furuta
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akatsuka
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Gabazza
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sumida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011486:Protein C / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011486:Protein C; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein