Anti-Heat Shock Protein 27 Antibody Levels and Diabetic Complications in the EURODIAB Study

doi:10.2337/dc08-2271

Anti-Heat Shock Protein 27 Antibody Levels and Diabetic Complications in the EURODIAB Study

Davina Burt, Ph.D. (davina.burt{at}unito.it)^*,
Graziella Bruno, M.D.^*,
Nish Chaturvedi, MRCP†,
Casper Schalkwijk, Ph.D‡,
Coen D Stehouwer, Ph.D.‡,
Daniel R Witte, Ph.D.§,
John H Fuller, FRCP∥,
Silvia Pinach, M.Sc.^*,
Paolo Cavallo Perin, M.D.^* and
Gabriella Gruden, Ph.D.^*

^*Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Italy
†National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, U.K.
‡Department of Internal Medicine, Maastrict University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands
§Epidemiology Research Group, Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, Denmark
∥Department of Epidemiology and Public-Health, Royal Free and University College London, Medical School, London, U.K.

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether serum anti-heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) antibody levels are associated with micro- and macrovascular complications of type 1 diabetes.

Research Design and Methods: Anti-HSP27 IgG antibody levels were measured in 531 type 1 diabetic subjects recruited as part of the cross-sectional analysis of the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study. Case subjects (n=363) were defined as those with one or more diabetic complications and control subjects (n=168) as those with no evidence of any diabetic complication.

Results: Anti-HSP27 levels were comparable in cases and control subjects [19.6 AU/ml (11.3-32.7) vs. 20.4 AU/ml (11.7-35.3), geometric mean, (interquartile range)] and there was no correlation between HSP27 and anti-HSP27 levels (r=0.01, p=0.81). In logistic regression analysis anti-HSP27 was not associated with the presence of complications, even after adjustment for main risk factors.

Conclusions: Anti-HSP27 antibody levels are not a marker of vascular complications in type 1 diabetes.