Plasma Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 Level Is Inversely Associated with HDL Cholesterol Level in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Introduction. Relation between atherosclerosis and innate immunity has attracted attention. As the antimicrobial peptide, LL-37, could have an important role in atherosclerosis, we supposed that there could be a meaningful association of plasma LL-37 level with risk factors for cardiovascular disease in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods. We evaluated plasma LL-37 level and other clinical markers in Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 133, 115 men and 18 women; age 64.7 ± 11.5 years; HbA1c 8.1 ± 1.6%). Plasma level of LL-37 was measured by ELISA. Results. Mean plasma LL-37 level was 71.2 ± 22.3 ng/mL. Plasma LL-37 level showed significant correlations with HDL cholesterol (r = -0.450, P < 0.01), triglyceride (r = 0.445, P < 0.01), and high sensitive C-reactive protein (r = 0.316, P < 0.01) but no significant correlation with age, body mass index, HbA1c, estimated glomerular filtration rate, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or vitamin D binding protein. Multiple linear regression analysis showed significant correlations of plasma LL-37 level with HDL cholesterol (β = -0.411, P < 0.01) and high sensitive C-reactive protein (β = 0.193, P < 0.05). Conclusion. Plasma LL-37 level was positively correlated with inflammatory markers and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Shu
0000-0003-3528-128X
S
Meguro
Department of Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Central Hospital, 1-4-17 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan.
Masuomi
M
Tomita
Department of Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Central Hospital, 1-4-17 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan.
Takeshi
T
Katsuki
Department of Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Central Hospital, 1-4-17 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan.
Kiyoe
K
Kato
Minami-Aoyama Home Clinic, 7-5-2 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan.
Henpiru
H
Oh
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Disease, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0052, Japan.
Akira
A
Ainai
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Disease, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0052, Japan.
Ryo
R
Ito
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Toshihide
0000-0003-4419-337X
T
Kawai
Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Itoh
Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Disease, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0052, Japan.
Hideki
H
Hasegawa