895-P: Children with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) Have Lower Fasting Arginine and Citrulline but Higher Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (ADMA) Levels Compared with Healthy Controls

Abstract

We studied fasting amino acid levels in 12 children (6 T2D and 6 controls). The mean age was 16.2 ± 0.7 years. The study cohort comprised 42% females, 67% Hispanic, 25% black, and 8% non-Hispanic white. Mean BMI percentile was higher in the T2D group vs. controls (99.1 vs. 50.9 percentiles, p<0.001). In children with T2D, mean HbA1c was 6.4% ± 1% with mean diabetes duration of 1.3 ± 0.3 years. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, the amount of protein intake in the preceding day (61 ± 29 gram), and the duration of fasting (13.5 ± 1 h) were similar between the groups. Fasting citrulline concentration was lower (17.8 vs. 27.8 µmol/L, p=0.01) and fasting ADMA concentration higher (0.523 vs. 0.455 µmol/L, p=0.05) in the children with T2D vs. controls. Fasting arginine level was also lower in the T2D group compared to controls (79.6 vs. 97 µmol/L), but the difference did not attain statistical significance (p=0.22). After Grubb’s test uncovered an outlier in the T2D group, fasting arginine level was also statistically different (69.5 µmol/L in the T2D group vs. 97 µmol/L in controls, p=0.02) (Figure 1). We found a unique metabolomic signature in children with T2D indicating disturbed arginine-citrulline metabolism. Defective arginine-citrulline metabolism may play a role in the pathogenesis of T2D in children, with implications for targeted nutritional therapy.View largeDownload slideView largeDownload slide DisclosureM. Tosur: Advisory Panel; Self; Provention Bio, Inc. J. W. Hsu: None. S. Deen: None. S. Uysal: None. M. Astudillo: None. M. J. Redondo: Advisory Panel; Self; Provention Bio, Inc. F. Jahoor: None. A. Balasubramanyam: None.FundingTexas Children’s Hospital