Abstract
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a progressive destruction of pancreatic β cells. It has been reported that patients with autoimmune diseases exhibit decreased expression of caspase 3 and other pro-apoptotic markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). To estimate the expression of apoptosis markers in PBMC from T1D patients cultured with high glucose concentration. At 11 mM of glucose, the pro-apoptotic gene fas showed a 7-fold decreased expression in the T1D group compared to controls, while bax showed a 50-fold decreased expression (medians 0.14 and 0.02, respectively, considering patients as 1). At 44 mM of glucose, there is a decreased expression of the same genes, but less abrupt (medians 0.75 and 0.47). Only the anti-apoptotic gene xiap showed a 2-fold increased expression at 11 mM of glucose (median 2.3). Regarding the clinical history, no relationships were observed with age of diagnosis, ketoacidosis, glucose at debut or GAD-65 and IA-2 titles. We can conclude that the apoptotic mechanisms in PBMC of T1D patients under high glucose conditions are altered, and this is proved by the decreased expression of the pro-apoptotic genes fas and bax and by the increased expression of the anti-apoptotic gene xiap.
Published Version
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