Elevated endogenous secretory receptor for advanced glycation end products (esRAGE) levels are associated with circulating soluble RAGE levels in diabetic children.

Abstract

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the receptor for AGE (RAGE) play an important role in the development of diabetic vascular complications. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between the soluble form of RAGE (sRAGE), endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE), and pentosidine in childhood diabetes. The study included 18 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), 10 with type 2 DM (T2DM), and 22 age-matched, non-diabetic children (control). Serum sRAGE levels in the T1DM (2557.7 pg/mL) were significantly higher than both T2DM (1956.4 pg/mL) and control (1658.5 pg/mL). The circulating levels of esRAGE in T1DM and T2DM children were similar, but significantly higher than those of control. Serum pentosidine levels in the T1DM group were positively correlated with serum sRAGE and esRAGE levels, but not with anthropometric or biochemical measurements. The duration of diabetes and esRAGE levels were independent predictors of the circulating sRAGE levels. Unlike adults, children with diabetes exhibit high circulating esRAGE levels, and both sRAGE and esRAGE levels are correlated with pentosidine levels. These results suggest that circulating sRAGE and esRAGE in children may be surrogate markers for progressive glucose toxicity in pediatric patients with childhood-onset diabetes.