Oxidative stress, inflammation and autoimmune reaction in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with oxidative stress, elevation of inflammatory markers and other mechanisms, which may contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis. The aim of the study was to determine prominent factors of these pathogenic processes in patients with DM, to examine their relationship in serum, and to find out the differences between DM1 and DM2. Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), C-reactive protein (CRP), pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) and anti-$2-glycoprotein-I antibodies (anti-$2-GPI) were determined in 27 patients with DM1, 27 patients with DM2 and 23 healthy subjects. AOPP, CRP and anti-$2-GPI were significantly elevated in DM2 in comparison with healthy subjects (p<0.01, p<0.0001, p<0.0001, respectively). In DM1, anti-$2-GPI were elevated (p<0.0001) as well, but there was no increase of either AOPP or CRP. There was no difference in PAPP-A levels in DM1 or DM2 and healthy subjects. In DM 1, AOPP correlate significantly with anti-$2-GPI (r = 0.68, p<0.05). In DM2, there is a significant correlation between anti-$2-GPI and PAPP-A (r=0.45, p<0.05). Oxidative stress and inflammation are more expressed in DM2 and they are partly related. In DM1, oxidative stress seems to be in closer link to autoimmune reaction than to inflammation.