Abstract
Fibronectins are adhesive proteins considered as markers of endothelial activation. Plasma fibronectin levels in diabetes mellitus (DM) have been found to be associated with atherosclerotic risk factors. This study was carried out to investigate plasma fibronectin and its relation with serum lipids, apolipoproteins AI, B100 and lp(a) in diabetic children. 35 children (19F/16M) with type I DM and 30 non-diabetic age and gender-matched controls were enrolled. Apolipoprotein and fibronectin concentrations were determined with nephelometric methods. Plasma fibronectin levels of the children with type I DM and the control group are not statistically different. HbA1c and triglycerides concentration are found to be significant predictors of plasma fibronectin in diabetic children, while effect of plasma cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI, B100 and lp(a) are insignificant. Diabetic children with triglycerides 1.13 mmol/l have elevated plasma fibronectin (median, 25th-75th percentiles; 29.6, 8.3-40.8 mg/dL) compared to the diabetic > or = 19.9, 8.6-30.7 mg/dL, p < 0.05) and non-diabetic children (16.6, 12.7-32.4 mg/dL, p < 0.01) with triglycerides < 1.13 mmol/L. On the other hand plasma fibronectin concentrations of diabetic and non-diabetic children with high triglycerides are not significantly different. In conclusion our data does not support the concept that plasma fibronectin is elevated in type I diabetes mellitus at least in children, but high plasma triglycerides secondary to diabetes or not is associated with higher FNp concentrations which may have implications on atherogenesis. Plasma cholesterol, apolipoproteins AI, B100 and lp(a) are not significant determinants of FNp in type I diabetic children.
Highlights
Fibronectins are large glycoproteins found in plasma, in extracellular matrix and cell surfaces
Cellular fibronectin (FNc) usually
Increased lp(a) levels and increased glycation of lp(a) is suggested to contribute micro- and macro-vascular complications [3,9]. In this cross sectional study we investigated plasma fibronectin in plasma (FNp) levels and possible implication of serum lipid, apolipoprotein AI, B100 and lp(a) concentrations on plasma FNp levels in children with type I DM and compared with age/gender and serum triglycerides matched non-diabetic control group
Summary
Fibronectins are large glycoproteins found in plasma, in extracellular matrix and cell surfaces. Elevated plasma FNc have been described in clinical syndromes with vascular damage like, rheumatoid vasculitis, preeclampsia, collagen vascular disease, acute trauma and trombotic trombositopenic purpura. It is considered as a marker of endothelial activation [8,21]. Results regarding plasma FN levels in diabetes have been inconclusive and are reported to be increased in type I and type II diabetes mellitus (DM) for FNc, increased in type II DM and increased or unchanged in type I DM for FNp [8,18,22,25]. An association of FN and chronic complications of DM has not been observed, variables that may have implication on macroangiopatic complications of diabetes mellitus (i.e.; high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), tri-
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