Elevated circulating effector memory T cells but similar levels of regulatory T cells in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease

Sara Rattik, Daniel Engelbertsen, Maria Wigren, Irena Ljungcrantz, Gerd Östling, Margaretha Persson, Gunilla Nordin Fredrikson, Eva Bengtsson, Jan Nilsson, Harry Björkbacka

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, but the mechanism through which diabetes contributes to cardiovascular disease development remains incompletely understood. In this study, we compared the association of circulating regulatory T cells, naïve T cells, effector memory T cells or central memory T cells with cardiovascular disease in patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus. Percentage of circulating T cell subsets was analysed by flow cytometry in type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects with and without prevalent cardiovascular disease as well as in non-diabetic subjects with and without prevalent cardiovascular disease from the Malmö SUMMIT cohort. Subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus had elevated percentages of effector memory T cells (CD4+CD45RO+CD62L; 21.8% ± 11.2% vs 17.0% ± 9.2% in non-type 2 diabetes mellitus, p < 0.01) and central memory T cells (CD4+CD45RO+CD62L+; 38.0% ± 10.7% vs 36.0% ± 9.5% in non-type 2 diabetes mellitus, p < 0.01). In contrast, the frequency of naïve T cells was reduced (CD4+CD45ROCD62L+, 35.0% ± 16.5% vs 42.9% ± 14.4% in non-type 2 diabetes mellitus, p < 0.001). The proportion of effector memory T cells was increased in type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects with cardiovascular disease as compared to those without (26.4% ± 11.5% vs 18.4% ± 10.2%, p < 0.05), while no difference in regulatory T cells was observed between these two patient groups. This study identifies effector memory T cells as a potential cellular biomarker for cardiovascular disease among subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus, suggesting a state of exacerbated immune activation in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with cardiovascular disease.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)270-280
JournalDiabetes and Vascular Disease Research
Volume16
Issue number3
Early online date2018 Dec 21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems
  • Endocrinology and Diabetes

Keywords

  • adaptive immunity
  • cardiovascular disease
  • memory T cells
  • regulatory T cells
  • Type 2 diabetes

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