The expression of Sirtuins 1 and 4 in peripheral blood leukocytes from patients with type 2 diabetes

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between SIRTs 1 and 4 in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) and human type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). SIRTs 1 and 4 have been confirmed to be associated with homeostasis of glucose/lipid metabolism, but their roles in T2DM are still poorly understood. Peripheral blood and biochemical data were collected from 52 healthy individuals (normal control group, NC group) and 113 cases of T2DM patients. Immunocytochemical staining was used to detect SIRT1 and SIRT4 and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect SIRT1 or SIRT4 mRNA levels in PBLs. Immunocytochemical staining showed that SIRT1 is expressed in both nucleus and cytoplasm, and SIRT4 in the cytoplasm of granulocytes and monocytes. No SIRT1 or SIRT4 was found in lymphocytes. RT-PCR showed that SIRT1 and SIRT4 mRNA levels in T2DM group were lower than those in NC group (P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed that there is a negative correlation between SIRTs 1 and 4 and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (P<0.05) (r= −0.161 and −0.156), a positive correlation between SIRT4 mRNA levels and triglyceride (TG)/lipoprotein a (LPa) levels (P<0.05), and a negative correlation between SIRT4 mRNA levels and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) (P<0.05). SIRTs 1 and 4 may have a role in the pathogenesis of T2DM and their expression in granulocytes and monocytes may indirectly reflect the homeostasis of glucose/lipid metabolism in T2DM.