<p>This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.</p> <p>The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between
the expression of tissue factor (TF) and the receptor
for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs) and vascular
complications in patients with longstanding uncontrolled
type 2 diabetes (T2D). TF and RAGE mRNAs as well as
TF antigen and activity were investigated in 21 T2D patients
with and without vascular complications. mRNA expression
was assessed by reverse transcriptase–polymerase
chain reaction (RT-PCR) in nonstimulated and advanced
glycation end product (AGE) albumin–stimulated peripheral
blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). TF antigen expression
was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA) and TF activity by a modified prothrombin
time assay. Basal RAGE mRNA expression was 0.2 ± 0.06
in patients with complications and 0.05 ± 0.06 patients without
complications (<italic>P</italic> = .004). Stimulation did not cause any
further increase in either group. TF mRNA was 0.58 ± 0.29
in patients with complications and 0.21 ± 0.18 in patients
without complications (<italic>P</italic> = .003). Stimulation resulted in
a nonsignificant increase in both groups. Basal TF activity
(U/10<sup>6</sup> PBMCs) was 18.4 ± 13.2 in patients with complications
and 6.96 ± 5.2 in patients without complications (<italic>P</italic> =
.003). It increased 3-fold in both groups after stimulation
(<italic>P</italic> = .001). TF antigen (pg/10<sup>6</sup> PBMCs) was 33.7 ± 28.6 in
patients with complications, 10.4 ± 7.8 in patients without complications (<italic>P</italic> = .02). Stimulation tripled TF antigen in
both groups of patients (<italic>P</italic> = .001). The RAGE/TF axis is
up-regulated inT2Dpatients with vascular complications as
compared to patients without complications. This suggests
a role for this axis in the pathogenesis of vascular complications
in T2D.</p>
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Exp Diabesity Res. 2004; 5(2):163-169