Circulating advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and soluble form of receptor for AGEs (sRAGE) are independent determinants of serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. Monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) is an essential chemokine responsible for the recruitment of monocytes to inflammatory lesions in the vasculature, an initial step of atherosclerosis. Since serum levels of MCP‐1 are higher in patients with type 2 diabetes, inhibition of MCP‐1 may be a novel therapeutic target for prevention of accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes. However, little is known about the regulation and determinants of serum MCP‐1 levels in patients with diabetes. In this study, we examined the determinants of serum MCP‐1 levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods Eighty‐six consecutive outpatients with type 2 diabetes (36 male and 50 female; mean age 68.4 ± 9.6) underwent a complete history and physical examination, determination of blood chemistries, MCP‐1, tumour necrosis factor‐α, adiponectin, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and soluble form of receptor for AGEs (sRAGE). We examined the association between MCP‐1 levels and those in anthropometric, metabolic and inflammatory variables in these subjects. Results Univariate regression analysis showed that serum levels of MCP‐1 were positively associated with AGEs (r = 0.386, p < 0.001) and sRAGE (r = 0.315, p < 0.001). After adjusting for age and sex, AGEs (p < 0.001) and sRAGE (p < 0.05) still remained significant. Conclusion The results demonstrate for the first time that circulating levels of AGEs and sRAGE are independent determinants of serum MCP‐1 levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Our present observations suggest the AGEs‐RAGE system may be mainly involved in the elevation of MCP‐1 in type 2 diabetic patients. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.