Increased levels of serum granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor is associated with activated peripheral dendritic cells in type 2 diabetes subjects (CURES-99).

Surendar, J.; Mohan, V.; Pavankumar, N.; Babu, S.; Aravindhan, V.

Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics; 2012; 14; 344-349.

Abstract: Background: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with growth factor–like properties for monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs). In the present study, serum GM-CSF levels and the activation status of DCs were studied in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects.

Methods : Study subjects were recruited from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study. Healthy controls ( n = 45) and T2DM patients ( n = 45) were included in the study. Serum levels of GM-CSF, interleukin-1 b , interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor- a were measured. Enumeration of circulating DCs (myeloid [m] and plasmocytoid [p]) and its surface antigen expression were quantified by flow cytometry.

Results: The serum GM-CSF levels were significantly higher among diabetes subjects compared with subjects without diabetes and showed a positive correlation with glycated hemoglobin ( r = 0.208, P = 0.018). The serum GM-CSF levels were lower in subjects on combined insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA) treatment (1.09 pg/mL) compared with those taking OHA alone (1.9 pg/mL). The increased GM-CSF levels were associated with the activated phenotype of mDCs and pDCs, as determined by up-regulation of the lineage markers.

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