Expression levels of serum vasohibin-1 in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with different excretion rates of urinary albumin and its clinical significance

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression levels of serum vasohibin-1(VASH-1)in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients at different stages of urinary albumin to creatinineratio(UACR)and to attempt to investigate the relationship between VASH-1 and inflammation and fibrosis in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy(DN), one of the microvascular complications of T2DM. Methods 486 patients with T2DMwere divided into four groups: normal albuminuria [UACR 300 mg/g, n=106], and clinical albuminuria hypertensive [UACR>300 mg/g, with hypertension, n=124] groups. Age, course, serum levels ofVASH1, inflammation markers(CRP, ESR)and fibrosis marker(TGF-β1)with other biochemical indicators were measured, and 130 normal control subjects were also included. Results Compared with normal control group, the levels of UACR, HbA1C, ESR, CRP, TGF-β1 and VASH-1 in groups ofnormal albuminuria, microalbuminuria, clinical albuminuria, and clinical albuminuria hypertensive were significantly higher(P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that levels of VASH-1 were positively correlated with UACR, HbA1C, ESR, CRPand TGF-β1(r=0.521, 0.261, 0.519, 0.523, 0.479, P<0.001), while multivariate regression analysis showed that levels of UACR, HbA1C, ESR, CRP and TGF-β1 were important factors affecting serum VASH-1 levels. Conclusion Serum levels of VASH-1 may become new biomarkers of early diagnosis of DN. Consequently, VASH-1 level may provide a new pattern and direction of inflammation and fibrosis for consideration in diabetic kidney damage. (Chin J Endocrinol Metab, 2016, 32: 647-651) Key words: Diabetic nephrophathy; Transforming growth factor--β1; Vasohibin-1