HYPERTRIGLYCERIDEMIA ENHANCES MONOCYTE BINDING TO ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS IN NIDDM

OBJECTIVE - The mechanisms by which diabetes leads to rapidly progress ive atherosclerosis are not fully understood. Adherence of monocytes t o the arterial wall is an early event in the development of atheroscle rotic lesions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The binding of freshly is olated monocytes from patients with NIDDM, IDDM, and healthy control s ubjects to a monolayer of endothelial cells obtained from human umbili cal vein was investigated. RESULTS - Endothelial adherence of monocyte s from normolipidemic patients with IDDM (15.8 +/- 4.5%) or NIDDM (16. 9 +/- 4.6%) was comparable to that of monocytes from a control, popula tion (15.3 +/- 3.5%). In patients with NIDDM with a serum triglyceride concentration >2.5 mmol/l, the percentage of cells that adhere to end othelial cells in vitro was significantly increased (23.3 +/- 3.1%). G lycemic control did not correlate with monocyte adherence. The presenc e of symptomatic atherosclerotic disease, age, or sex was not associat ed with a change in monocyte binding in vitro. CONCLUSIONS - The resul ts suggest that in NIDDM hyperglyceridemia should be treated to reduce the high risk for atherosclerosis.