This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yasunari, K. Articles by Yoshikawa, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yasunari, K. Articles by Yoshikawa, J. Related Collections Risk Factors Type 2 diabetes Clinical Studies

(Hypertension. 2002;39:777.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Oxidative Stress in Leukocytes Is a Possible Link Between Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, and C-Reacting Protein

Kenichi Yasunari; Kensaku Maeda; Munehiro Nakamura; Junichi Yoshikawa

From the Department of Cardiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Japan.

Correspondence to Kenichi Yasunari, MD, PhD, Department of Cardiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. E-mail yasunari{at}osaka.med.or.jp

Because oxidative stress and inflammation are believed to play roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, oxidative stress in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and mononuclear cells (MNCs) has been measured. A total of 529 subjects participated this study. Intracellular oxidative stress in PMNs and MNCs was measured by gated flow cytometry using carboxyfluorescin diacetate bis-acetoxymethyl ester. C-reacting protein (CRP), insulin action (homeostasis model assessment), and traditional risk factors such as age, gender, body mass index, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, hemoglobin A_1c, and mean blood pressure were also measured. Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between mean blood pressure and PMN oxidative stress (r=0.104, P=0.018). It also demonstrated a significant correlation between hemoglobin A_1c and PMN oxidative stress (r=0.112, P=0.021). A significant correlation was also found between CRP and MNC oxidative stress (r=0.116, P=0.008) by multiple regression analysis. In patients with both hypertension and diabetes, both PMN and MNC oxidative stress was increased (n=21, P=0.022 and P=0.006). These results suggest that both hypertension and diabetes lead to increased oxidative stress of PMNs and MNCs, and that CRP is related to MNC oxidative stress.

Key Words: leukocytes • arteries • diabetes mellitus • oxidative stress