Abstract
Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), measured by skin autofluorescence (AF), are a factor in the development or worsening of many degenerative diseases, such as diabetes and atherosclerosis. Irisin levels have been associated with diabetes, endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether circulating irisin levels are correlated with skin AF values in type 2 diabetes patients. A total of 362 Chinese type 2 diabetic patients and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited in the present study. Clinical characteristics, blood biochemistry and circulating irisin levels were measured. Skin AF was measured using an AGE reader. Circulating irisin levels were significantly lower, while skin AF values were increased in type 2 diabetes compared with controls (P<0.05 respectively). By dividing the distribution of skin AF values into tertiles, serum irisin levels gradually lowered with increasing skin AF values (P<0.05). After adjusting for covariates, multivariate stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that serum lower irisin levels were independently associated with skin AF (P=0.009). Circulating irisin levels were lower in type 2 diabetes patients compared with healthy controls. Lower levels of irisin are independently associated with elevated skin AF values, indicating that circulating irisin levels could be associated with AGEs accumulation, which is one of the reasons causing vascular complications in diabetic patients.
Highlights
Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are generated via non-enzymatic reactions involving the ketone or aldehyde groups of sugars with the free amino groups of proteins, lipids or nucleic acids
The results of the present study showed that circulating irisin levels were lower in type 2 diabetes patients compared with healthy controls
We demonstrated for the first time that lower levels of circulating irisin were independently associated with elevated skin AF, indicating increased AGE accumulation
Summary
Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are generated via non-enzymatic reactions involving the ketone or aldehyde groups of sugars with the free amino groups of proteins, lipids or nucleic acids. AGEs might be important factors in the development or worsening of many degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, chronic renal failure and Alzheimer’s disease [1,2]. The exacerbated production of AGEs is one of the mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction, considered as an early marker of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes [3]. Measuring tissue AGES based on the skin AF might be preferable over plasma measurement, as long-lived proteins accumulate in the tissues in which chronic complications develop [6]. Skin AF, associated with cardiovascular mortality and the degree of atherosclerosis, is elevated in end-stage renal disease, and correlates with carotid intima media thickness (IMT) [7,8]
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