Clinical implication of plasma lysophosphatidylcholine in type 2 diabetics

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Clinical Chemistry Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 49 - 60
• Main Authors: Arii, Kaoru, Suehiro, Tadashi, Kumon, Yoshitaka, Sugiura, Tetsuro, Hashimoto, Kozo, Yamanaka, Shigeo, Ikeda, Yukio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan Society of Clinical Chemistry 2007; 一般社団法人 日本臨床化学会
• Subjects: athero-sclerosis; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; oxidized low-density lipoprotein; peroxide lipid; type 2 diabetes; 動脈硬化; 型糖尿病; 過酸化脂質; 酸化LDL; 高感度CRP
• ISSN: 0370-5633; 2187-4077
• DOI: 10.14921/jscc1971b.36.1_49

The increase in circulating peroxide lipids is considered as a promoting factor of atherosclerotic disease, because peroxide lipids in the subendothelial space directly induce formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Recently, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and oxidative low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) have been measured as biological markers of atherosclerosis. To clarify the clinical implication of the measurement of LPC, plasma concentrations of LPC and also oxLDL and high-sensitivity C-reactive proteins (hs-CRP) were measured in 147 patients with type 2 diabetes, and these measurements were compared in relationship to clinical characteristics and diabetic vascular complications. LPC concentration was also investigated in 24 healthy subjects (12 males and 12 females) as a reference of circulation LPC values. Plasm a LPC concentration in male type 2 diabetics (mean ± standard deviation, 0.221 ± 0.059 mmo1/1) was lower than that in female diabetics (0.202 ± 0.055). This gender difference in plasma LPC concentration was also confirmed in healthy subjects (males 0.256 ± 0.048, and females 0.220 ± 0.031). Plasma oxLDL had a good correlation with plasma LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) in diabetics, and oxLDL concentration in female diabetics (55.3 ± 17.3 U/1) was significantly higher than that in male diabetics (48.9 ± 14.8). There was no significant correlation between LPC and oxLDL concentrations. LPC and oxLDL did not correlate with hs-CRP in diabetics. As for diabetic complications, plasma LPC in diabetics with ischemic heart disease (IHD) was lower (0.179 ± 0.057) than that without IHD (0220 ± 0.049). Plasma LPC in diabetics with macroangiopathy (cerebral infarction, IHD and arteriosclerosis obliterans 0.195 ± 0.054) was also lower than that without macroangiopathy (0.222 ± 0.059). In males and females plasma LPC in diabetics with macroangiopathy or IHD was lower than those without macroangiopathy or IHDrespectively. hs-CRP was significantly higher in diabetics with IHD (4.77 ± 7.27 mg/l) than those without IHD (1.99 ± 4.86). However, there was no significant difference in oxLDL between those with and without complications. hs-CRP and oxLDL have been considered to be useful markers to detect vascular complications. However, our results suggest that LPC was equal or superior hs-CRP and oxLDL in detecting vascular complications in type 2 diabetics.