Immunoglobulin E and mast cell proteases are potential risk factors of impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance in humans.

AIM

Mast cells are important in experimental diabetes. Plasma levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), tryptases, and chymases are inflammatory markers of human diabetes. Whether they also correlate with the risk of pre-diabetes, however, remains unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 260 subjects 55-75 years of age were grouped as normal glucose tolerance (NGT), isolated impaired fasting glucose (I-IFG), isolated impaired glucose tolerance (I-IGT), and mixed IFG/IGT. There were significant differences in plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (P < 0.001) and IgE (P = 0.003) among all subgroups of pre-diabetes, and chymase in I-IGT (P = 0.043) and mixed IFG/IGT (P = 0.037) subgroups compared with NGT group. High-sensitivity CRP was a risk factor in all subgroups of pre-diabetes; IgE was a risk factor of mixed IFG/IGT; and chymase was a risk factor of I-IGT and mixed IFG/IGT. Interactions between hsCRP and high waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), or HOMA-β index, and interactions between IgE and high WC or tryptase levels all increased further the risk of developing I-IFG, I-IGT, or mixed IFG/IGT.

CONCLUSION

Plasma hsCRP, IgE, and chymase levels associate with pre-diabetes status. While hsCRP, IgE, and chymase are individual risk factors of pre-diabetes, interactions with metabolic parameters increased further the risk of pre-diabetes.