RESUMEN
To compare circulating pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) levels in type 2 diabetes patients (T2D) with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS+/-) to healthy controls and assess PEDF association with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) as markers of endothelial dysfunction. Fifty T2D individuals and forty healthy controls were included. PEDF, PAI-1, vWF, anthropological parameters, lipids, and markers of insulin resistance were investigated in all subjects. Compared to controls only MetS+ diabetics had higher PEDF levels [14.2 (10.2-16.0) mg/l vs. 11.1 (8.6-14.4) mg/l; p<0.05]. PEDF significantly correlated: positively with body mass index (rho=0.25), smoking (rho=0.21), C-reactive protein (rho=0.22), triglycerides (rho=0.38), non-HDL-cholesterol (rho=0.39), apolipoprotein B (rho=0.38), fasting glucose (rho=0.22), glycated hemoglobin (rho=0.24), C-peptide (rho=0.28), insulin (rho=0.26); and negatively with HDL-cholesterol (rho=-0.42) and apolipoprotein A1 (rho=-0.27). Independent association of PEDF with vWF in T2DMetS- subjects was found. Significantly elevated PEDF in T2DMet+ patients and its association with adverse metabolic profile confirmed PEDF as a marker of insulin resistance. Negative independent association of PEDF with vWF in T2DMetS- patients may reveal its angio-protective role.