Acute effects of sitagliptin on progenitor cells and soluble mediators in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

Studies have confirmed that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are involved in diabetic complications. The present study assessed the action of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor sitagliptin on EPCs in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

60 newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients were randomly divided into three treatment groups: sitagliptin (n = 20), metformin (n = 20), and combination sitagliptin and metformin (n = 20). Patients were treated once daily for 3 days. Before and after each treatment, the number of EPCs and concentration of soluble mediators (glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α)) were determined.

RESULTS

The number of CD34KDR and CD34CD133KDR EPCs and concentration of GLP-1, NO, and SDF-1α in sitagliptin and combination groups were both increased (both p < 0.05) but to a greater extent in the combination group (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analyses showed that the change in EPC numbers correlated with changes in peripheral GLP-1, NO, and SDF-1α levels (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sitagliptin is able to directly increase the number of peripheral blood EPCs. This direct effect is to be important for lowering vascular risk in early diabetes before macrovascular complications appear.