Association of fasting glucagon-like peptide-1 with oxidative stress and subclinical atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Aim: Glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) is a gut hormone that beside its main function in glucose homeostasis may play a role as an anti-oxidant and anti-atherosclerotic factor. The aim of this study was to estimate fasting total GLP-1 level in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients and to determine its relation with oxidative stress and atherosclerotic vascular changes. Methods: The study included 60 T2DM male patients with age ≥40 and 30 healthy male subjects matched for age. All of them were subjected to measuring of fasting total GLP-1, 8-iso prostaglandin F2α (8-iso PGF2α) as a marker of oxidative stress and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. Results: Fasting total GLP-1 was not significantly different in diabetics in comparison with healthy subjects (p = 0.52). Fasting total GLP-1 was found to have significant negative correlations with both 8-iso PGF2α (p < 0.05) and CIMT (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Endogenous fasting GLP-1 appears to have anti-oxidant and anti-atherosclerotic effects in T2DM.