TAp63 is correlated with chronic inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: To investigate TAp63 expression in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the potential correlations between TAp63 and proinflammatory cytokines production and other clinical parameters.

METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma were collected from 72 T2DM (cases) and 72 healthy subjects (controls). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FIN) and a blood lipid profile were measured. The homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) was used to estimate insulin resistance (IR). Plasma tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 were determined. PBMCs isolated from healthy subjects were cultured with or without 33.3 mmol/l glucose or 0.5 mmol/l palmitic acid (PA) for 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. The expression of TAp63 at mRNA and protein levels in PBMCs was analyzed using real-time qRT-PCR and western blots, respectively.

RESULTS: TAp63 expression was significantly lower in T2DM patients compared with that of the controls. In addition, TAp63 expression showed a negative correlation with FBG, FIN, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, FFAs, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. Treatment with 33.3 mmol/l glucose or 0.5 mmol/l PA increased TAp63 expression in the cultured PBMCs.

CONCLUSIONS: TAp63 level may be correlated with chronic inflammatory state and perturbed glucose and lipid metabolism in T2DM.