Association between circulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and urinary albumin excretion in nonobese Type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract In 70 nonobese inpatients with Type 2 diabetes [body mass index (BMI): 24.0±4.4 kg/m 2 ], we examined circulating monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP) -1 as a candidate marker of atherosclerosis by comparison with established markers: serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), plasma fibrinogen, and combined carotid artery intimal–medial thickness (IMT). In addition, an association was sought between circulating MCP-1 and urinary albumin excretion (UAE), reflecting diabetic renal microangiopathy. Serum MCP-1 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Patients were grouped by UAE: normoalbuminuria, below 30 mg/g of creatinine (Cr); microalbuminuria, 30 to 300 mg/g Cr; or macroalbuminuria, over 300 mg/g Cr. Serum MCP-1 for all participants, men, and women was 280.0±78.9, 269.0±68.8, and 294.9±87.9 pg/ml, respectively, showing no difference between genders. No correlation was noted between MCP-1 and hsCRP, fibrinogen, or carotid artery IMT. No correlation of MCP-1 was observed with age, duration of diabetes, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin (Hb) A 1C , BMI, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), or serum lipid concentrations, but significant correlations were found with systolic blood pressure (SBP; R =.2723, P =.0225) and with log 10 -transformed (log) UAE ( R =.3343, P =.0047). Patients with macroalbuminuria had significant higher circulating MCP-1 than did those with normo- or microalbuminuria ( P =.0063 and P =.0188, respectively). By stepwise regression analysis, only log UAE independently predicted serum MCP-1 ( β =.3700, P =.0020). Thus, in nonobese Type 2 diabetic patients, MCP-1 might not be a marker of atherosclerosis and might be influenced significantly by diabetic nephropathy.