CD36 SURFACE EXPRESSION ON MONOCYTES IN TYPE 2 DIABETES

CD36 is a macrophage/monocyte scavenger receptor, mostly associated with the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, but much attention is also paid to its role in the inflammatory state associated with insulin resistance. Its RNA, protein expression on monocytes and soluble form in circulation have been found to be elevated in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of the study was to evaluate the surface CD36 expression on different subsets of monocytes in patients with T2D and to analyse its association with some metabolic and inflammatory parameters. Multi-parameter flow cytometry was performed on 27 subjects with T2D and 7 control participants to assess the CD36 surface expression on classical (CD14++CD16-), intermediate (CD14++CD16+) and non-classical (CD14+ CD16-1-+) monocytes from whole blood samples. Inflammatory markers included C-reactive protein, Interleukin 6 and Tumour necrosis factor a. A lower level of CD36+ monocytes was observed within the intermediate (94.75 +/- 7.54% vs. 99.29 +/- 1.29%), classical (96.90 +/- 5.61% vs. 99.32 +/- 1.01%) and non-classical (24.51 +/- 12.99% vs. 30.19 +/- 22.94%) subset. However, the difference was significant only in the first one (p = 0.03). The CD36 expression did not correlate with parameters of anthropometric and glycemic control, nor with the analysed inflammatory proteins. The study demonstrated a lower level of intermediate monocytes, expressing CD36 in patients with T2D compared to control subjects, which was not associated with the metabolic control or the level of inflammatory parameters.