The differences in metabolites in PBMC and in the plasma of patients with prediabetes or T2D compared to healthy controls

Abstract

To determine differences between peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the plasma matabolomes in patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes and healthy controls. 65 nononobese patients with prediabetes or newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 65 nonobese sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled from an institutional health screen. After adjusting for age, BMI, blood pressure, and serum lipid profiles, the diabetic patients showed higher blood circulation and PBMC lipoprotein phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) activities, C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and TNF-α than controls. Compared with controls, diabetic subjects showed increases in 11 PBMC metabolites: six amino acids, L-pyroglutamic acid, two fatty VI acid amides containing palmitic amide, oleamide, and two lysoPCs. In diabetic patients, PBMC Lp-PLA2 significantly and positively associated with PBMC lysoPCs and inflammatory markers, including TNF-α, hs-CRP, and Lp-PLA2 activities. When we compared the plasma metabolome of the patients and healthy controls, we observed significant increases in only two amino acids and decreases in only five lysoPCs. This study demonstrates significant differences in the PBMC metabolome in patients with prediabetes or diabetes compared with healthy controls. These differences were greater than those observed in the plasma metabolome. These data suggest PBMCs as a useful tool to better understand the inflammatory pathophysiology of diabetes.