Detection of the terminal fluid-phase complement complex, SC5b-9, in the plasma of patients with insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus. Relation to increased urinary albumin excretion and plasma von Willebrand factor
Triolo, G.; Giardina, E.; Casiglia, D.; Scarantino, G.; Bompiani, G.D.
Clinical and Experimental Immunology 84(1): 53-58
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-9104 PMID: 2015712 Document Number: 372908
An ELISA was used to measure the fluid-phase complement complex in the plasma of 54 patients with insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus. Sixty-seven per cent of the diabetic patients had increased levels of SC5b-9. In individual diabetic patients, increased SC5b-9 was found to be significantly associated with the occurrence of anti-heparin sulphate cross-reactive anti-ssDNA antibodies and in some cases with circulating immune complexes. There was a significant correlation between levels of SC5b-9 and those of urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) (r=0.39, P < 0.01). Levels of AER were 8.4 .+-. 2.26 .mu./min and 2.04 .+-. 0.35 .mu.g/min in the SC5b-9 positive and negative patients, respectively (P < 0.01). A relationship was also found between SC5b-9 and plasma von Willebrand Factor (r=0.45, P < 0.02). von Willebrand factor was 189.2 .+-. 19.3% and 132.3 .+-. 19.6% in SC5b-9 positive and negative patients, respectively (P < 0.05). It may be that the abnormalities found in this study play a role in the pathogenesis of the late diabetic vascular complications.